January 10 – Peace
Susan Ankeny
Read: Isaiah 11:6,
9
In
June, my husband Scott and I took a short trip to Victoria, B.C. We used the
B.C. Ferry line that runs out of Tsawassen, which has ferries that depart
almost every hour. When we boarded, we realized that this was the port that
most out-of-country tourists probably used as well. We saw many skin colors and
heard many languages.
What
was fun to notice was the camaraderie among all of us out on the deck. (Most of the Canadian commuters seemed to
ride inside.) Everyone was focused on the beauty of the islands through which
we were passing, the magnificence of the sea and the anticipation of more sightseeing
when we reached Vancouver Island. There was much smiling and picture-taking. No
one was shy to offer to take pictures of other passengers so that people could
have pictures of their whole family.
A
week later, our return trip had a much different feel. There were obviously
less tourists. Many local people were traveling to the mainland to watch an
ice-hockey game. People were more focused on their own little group of
traveling companions, talking about work or the game ahead. There was less
smiling, less viewing of the sights, hardly any picture-taking.
It
struck me that though, on the first trip, we might not all have been “full of
the knowledge of the Lord,” we were all focused on the beauty and wonder of
God’s creation. Because that took the focus off of self, it allowed us to be at
peace with each other, even enjoying one another, though we came from diverse
backgrounds. Oh, if only we could learn to do that on a worldwide scale!
Prayer:
Gracious God, help us
to be “full of the knowledge of the Lord” so that peace may reign! Amen.
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