Tag Archives: Presence

Pursuing Peace

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FMF: Pursue

BERJAYA


The phrase that came into my mind was ‘as far as it depends on you, pursue peace’ – but as I looked it up, I found that phrase was a Dawn-made muddle of a couple of Scriptures, from Hebrews 12 and Romans 12:

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

Romans 12:18

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

I also found 1 Peter 3:11 which also talks about ‘suffering for doing good’ and advises that in order to love life and see good days, one must both seek peace and pursue it:

1 Peter 3:11
He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

It looks like peace was not easy come by in the early church.

We know from the news today, and from our own experience of our families and neighbourhoods, that peace is still not an easy goal.

It takes effort.

Intentional effort.

Conflict, rivalry, competition, struggle, jealousy, these seem to be the cultural, human norm against which, as followers of the Prince of Peace, we are called to pursue peace.

Peace is not the absence of battle, conflict or struggle though, rather it is the Presence of Him who is peace in our midst. If we carry His presence, we will carry the presence of His peace into the lives and environments in which we live.

I love how in Hebrews the author encourages the battle-weary to hang on in and keep pursuing peace and holiness, and warns that we should keep a close eye on those little roots of bitterness, that can spring us to defile us and those around us.

It doesn’t always depend on us, but sometimes it does.

Forgiveness, repentance, confession and worship are keys to pursuing peace in as far as it depends on us.

BERJAYA

Most Fridays, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday (FMF). We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. The prompt this week is PURSUE

I do read quickly through my script afterwards to correct my mistakes; to check scripture references and to find an appropriate image to illustrate the topic.

To read other FMF posts on this subject click BELOW.

https://fiveminutefriday.com/2025/03/06/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-pursue-guest-post-by-carole-duff/

What is missing?

By Posted in Five minute Friday Challenge Tagged , , , , 13 Comments
BERJAYA
blue jigsaw with a piece missing

FMF: Absence

Sometimes I like to just muse on what a word means to me. That is what I will do today.

To me, absence doesn’t mean that something is not there, it means that something is missing or lacking that is usually there.

Something that should be there.

The dog is not absent from my home, because I don’t and didn’t have a dog. (I did about 40 years ago, but that doesn’t count either – I wouldn’t now say that Timmy is absent.)

My son was absent over the weekend – not AWOL (absent-without leave) – but was away on a planned trip.

Soon he will be absent again, as he returns to his studies in Vienna. For a while I will feel his absence, but then life will revert to the usual dynamics until the next holiday that he might come home again. I will miss my son’s presence when he is away, but he won’t feel ‘absent’ like he did this weekend.

If we are absent from school or from work, an explanation is required – on the register we are marked Present or Absent; but I am not expected to request a leave-of-absence for not visiting the local lakes this Thursday.

It is said that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ – I’m not sure about that. If you belong here and should be here, then you are missed when you are absent, but I wouldn’t think my heart becomes any more fond of you! Maybe I would appreciate you more for the things I miss when you are absent?

Is there something absent from my life?

I have home, family, food, provisions, church, occupation, interests, health, friends – I have so much I am grateful for – and most importantly, I know the constant presence of God in my life.

If God were absent, I could not survive!

If God were absent, life would cease.

But God cannot be absent – He is eternally present and I am so eternally grateful that I know His presence in my life.

If something is absent from your life, speak to Father God about it and the comforter will supply all your needs.

So to me absence is the lack of what should be present. And the only thing absent now is my dinner, so I will go to cook some.

Thank you for reading.

Bidden or not bidden –

By Posted in Poetry Tagged , 2 Comments

 

In the spirit, soaring the selfless songs of the silent soul,

The Supreme Spirit is present ;

 

In the limbs, labouring in the undulating land of the living,

The Lord of Life is present ;

 

In the mind, climbing mountains for meaning and ambition,

The Majestic Maker is present ;

 

In the heart, responding to the pulsating passions of perception,

The Prince of Peace is present ;

 

In the soul, delving into valleys of survival, forgiveness and self-worth,

The loving Saviour is present ;

 

In the spirit, soaring the selfless songs of the silent soul,

The Supreme Spirit is present …

 

Bidden or not bidden

God is present.

BERJAYA