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Go in Peace
by Go in Peace.... 1 Samuel 1 v 17 'Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou has asked of him' Reading 1 Samuel this morning which is becoming quite familiar to me now I came across the above verse. I have read it perhaps a hundred times or more but the three words 'God in peace' seemed familiar to me as though someone else had said them before. I was instantly reminded that these were the very words that Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery. These two women couldn't it seems be further apart in their situations yet if you look closer they have more in common that first meets the eye. Hannah a righteous woman, married but unable to conceive. The woman caught in adultery the very act as those around her wanted to cast judgement upon her. They were ready to stone her! Eli already had condemned Hannah in his heart at first by thinking she was drunk! But Eli was a Priest of the LORD, flawed yes no doubt about that but nonetheless chosen by God. He sat on a seat by the pillar at the Temple of the LORD. It was here that Eli realising that Hannah was in distress God moved in him with compassion towards her and he spoke Gods word 'Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee the petition that thou has asked of him'. The same scene set generations later the God of Israel, Jesus Son of Man was speaking these same words to the woman caught in adultery. 'Go in peace and sin no more'. What is interesting is that the words 'Go in peace' were uttered first before anything else. This is really important. What these women had in common was that they were troubled very much so. They were burdened down by life and provoked into situations that seemed beyond any man's control. These women needed to be heard and understood. They needed compassion and someone not to judge them wrongly. Uttered from the heart of God himself 'Go in Peace' enabled them to physically get up and move away from their situation it no longer had a hold over them and weighed them down. In the book of proverbs these words caught my attention: Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad' ... proverbs 12 v 25 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life... proverbs 12 v 12 When Paul wrote his letters to the early Christians I noted at the beginning he would always offer the Grace of God to them and Peace. We have troubles every day, difficult situations, people, circumstances that seem beyond our human control yet we have the power within us to utter these words of peace to those around us. Eli who sat at the Temple of the Lord, Jesus who is the Temple of the Lord and us as believers in Jesus Christ has bodies which are now the Holy Temple. Where the Spirit of God is we can utter peace to those around us but not of this world but from God. We hold within us words of life the very tree of life that can bring healing and comfort. Since we were all sinners we have partaken of God's Grace and known what it is like to be freed from sin so now we speak wisely and judge no man for as with both Hannah and the woman caught in adultery they were both chosen to receive Grace in a time of great need. We know that Hannah went on to give birth to Samuel a great prophet and to have more children of her own and as for the woman in adultery what a gift to have been spoken to by Jesus himself. What a story which I know will have blessed many men and women alike. For to be free from sin is the greatest freedom of all. It brings life, health and peace in abundance which is what Jesus was talking about, then to share it with our neighbour. Be confident that God will bring the right people across your path and guided by your heart of compassion speak the words to someone 'Go in peace; may God grant you the desires of your heart'. For Hannah it was children, for the woman caught in adultery is was life and not being judged. Both were free. Jesus came with Grace and Truth. [email protected] Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |