How gentle am I in conflicts? - The somewhat different Advent Calender III ...

Monday, Dec 3, 2012. What does it mean to prepare the ways of the Lord? We have heard about ancient gates, which open up. We have read about mountains which become low, about path which are made straight. What does it mean. The first part of Psalm 24 gives us more details:

Pure hands and pure hearts …

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4

Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.

5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. (Psalm 24)

The psalm talks about pure hearts which are needed to climb the holy mountain. It talks about pure hands to come to him.

Often, when we are in conflicts, it seems necessary for us to fight. And when we get into a fight, we do many things which we might regret later. How quickly are words said, which insult the others. We do not remain pure! How quickly do we carry out actions, which we should not have done. King David once hesitated to kill Saul, who was the annointed king. That was good: God helped him - and David kept his hands pure in this particular matter.

Am I gentle in conflicts? Is peace my target? …

God, help me to see my actions and behaviour in conflicts. Help me to see where I do wrongly, where I am not as gentle as I should be. Show me how I could work towards peace. Show me how my hands and my heart can remain pure or become pure in the conflicts which life has given me! Lord, help me to be patient and wait for you, to resolve my conflicts. Help me to fight, what you want me to fight, and to be still, where you want me to be still.

We would like to suggest that you make notes of your conflicts. Go through them and ask the Lord to provide his insight and his viewpoint! Ask him to help you to work towards peace.

God be with you in all you do, also in your conflicts! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts