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I love this image above – it is SO powerful. It shows how the two eggs on the outside may differ but on the inside they are the same. I think of my two children – one boy and one girl. On the outside, they are very different and when they fight it makes this mama miserable! All I want is for my two children to GET ALONG! When they play cheerfully for over an hour together without needing a referee, this mom-heart is blessed!
You see what’s on the outside is different but their hearts are the same. The cross says they are both sinners in need of God’s grace and forgiveness.
How Can We Have Peace With Our Sisters in Christ?
Peace is a key word in Ephesians 2:11-22. It is repeated four times.
Ephesians 2:14 says “For He himself is our peace.“
Peace begins with God. We must first make peace with him before we can find peace with one another.
From there verse 14 goes on “who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.”
During Bible times, there was a huge amount of hostility between the Jews and Gentiles. They literally had a wall in the temple that seperated the Jews from the Gentiles.
The word Gentile in the greek is “ethnos” from which the word “ethnic” is derived.
The Jews and Gentiles were different on the outside, this made Ephesians 2:15 and 16 revolutionary! It says, Jesus created “one new man out of the two thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross by which he put to death their hostility.”
Jesus put to death hostility in the body of Christ! It is not his will for us to war with one another…but the truth is…there’s always that one chick that kinda gets under your skin…and one thing I have learned is, that woman was put in my life for a reason.
Like sand paper, it hurts to rub up against her but she smoothes my edges and teaches me how to give grace.
Are you experiencing contention with a sister in Christ? Extend to her grace. Jesus came to bring you peace with God and to enable you to have peace with your sisters in Christ! Just as it breaks our hearts as mothers to watch our children argue and fight, it breaks the heart of God to see hostility between two of his children.
Romans 12:18 says “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” NIV
Go to God – make peace with him. Go to your sister – make peace with her. And if it’s not accepted by your sister in Christ – you will have peace in your heart knowing you did all that you could to make peace.
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Women around the world are IN THE WORD!
Every Wednesday we will have a link-up. If you are a blogger we invite you to link-up any blog posts that you have written about your quiet time that week. We ask that you put our button in the post or on your sidebar so we can find each other. We do not have code for this link up button. Just right click and save as. Then link it to http://www.goodmorninggirls.org
Walk with the King!
Courtney, Womenlivingwell.org
Oh to think of what God could accomplish through us if we could practice unity the way He intends! Thanks for spurring us on, Courtney!
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