An Unusual Path to Peace

Rabbi Jack Riemer's "Likrat Shabbat"

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end war;

For we know that You have made the world in a way

That man must find his own path to peace

Within himself and with his neighbor.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end starvation;

For You have already given us the resources

with which to feed the entire world

If we would only use them wisely.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God,

To root out prejudice,

For You have already given us eyes

With which to see the good in all men

If we would only use them rightly.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end despair,

For You have already given us the power

To clear away slums and to give hope

If we would only use our power justly.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end disease,

For you have already given us great minds with which

To search out cures and healing,

If we would only use them constructively.

Therefore we pray to You instead, O God,

For strength, determination, and willpower,

To do instead of just to pray,

To become instead of merely to wish.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. – James 2:17

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:7-8

But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. – James 1:22

What is God's word for me today?

What good deeds will I do today, to walk out my faith with fear and trembling – in the fear of God?

How can I work for justice and peace, in my own sphere of influence today?

Can I ask these questions of myself every day?

My own pain and suffering often keeps me bound to a ruthless self-focus. After all, I have been a victim of extreme injustice, all in the name of God, they claim. I am due my time of grieving, right? Of getting back up on my feet?

Even while I heal, can I be part of the We in this poem, who I believe is the Body of Christ? Yes, I serve the suffering and offer compassion / hope nearly all day long, but my heart is still stirred. I know there is MORE for me to do. There is this strong desire, an obsession, within me to slay the dragon of domestic and spiritual violence. To create abuse-free zones.

I have slain the dragon inside my own heart – the one that was fed by my shame, fear, and control – by telling my story publicly, being naked and unashamed. For years I have worked on decontructing my own faulty faith foundation and rebuilding on Rock – the Truth of Christ. Tod and I worked so hard on retraining my brain that I lost all desire for vengeance or even for validation.

But here I am, a battle axe in the Lord's hand. Only God's weapons are useful in making peace. My book. This is my path to peace, and not just for me alone, but for us all.

How about you? Is there something on your to-do list that you've been avoiding? Is it writing your story? Have you shrunk your dreams or tried to hide? Let's rise up!

My Full Story What I Believe Contact Me

With all my love,

Sue

Susan Schiller knows how it feels to lose everything: marriage and family, church and reputation, finances and businesses, and more. Susan's upcoming, interactive memoir, "On the Way Home," tells the story of how she came to be known as "the most abused woman" her counselors had yet met and how she learned to navigate to freedom and fullness.

Today Susan helps people write their life stories, unearthing the treasures of their past and sowing them into their future, creating new family legacies.

Tagged as: Choosing Love Today, Deborah White Dove, Voice of the Bride

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