Peace and Joy and Love
Father, you are greater than anyone or anything in all the universe. For you created all that is, all that was, and all that is to come. There is no one like you. From everlasting to everlasting, you are God. Peace and joy emanate from you like rays of golden sunshine. Love, pure and unselfish love, is the essence of who you are. You do not concern yourself with what you need, for you are complete, needing nothing. Instead, you are completely other-centered, looking out for the best interest of all your creation. You seek to do good toward everyone, without prejudice or exception. Your rain of goodness falls on everyone, regardless of their sins or faults. This is who you are and what you do. In this dark world there is much evil and many bad things that happen. But these are not from you, for you are only goodness. The bad things that happen are because we live in a fallen world that does not know or acknowledge you. Yet when we look to you, you welcome us with open arms, overjoyed that we want to drink from the fountain of your goodness, love, mercy, and forgiveness. This is what you desire for every person. You do not want bad things for anyone. You are patient and kind, extending all that you are to anyone who wants you. Even for those who do evil, you offer patience and kindness. For it is your great hope that your patience, kindness, and love will win them over. That somehow, they will see their evil ways and turn away from them to you. This is your great desire for all whom you have created. You are full of hope for them. It is from this desire and hope that our salvation was born. For we were all once estranged from you and caught up in our own self-centeredness. We had no room for you, and often no room for anyone else – unless they were meeting our selfish needs. Yet you were patient and kind toward us, not inflicting pain and suffering on us, thought we surely deserved it. No, you seek us out, every one of us, offering us the peace and joy and love that emanate from you. It is your great hope that your goodness will lead each of us to repentance of our self-centered ways. Then, with great joy, we can do good for others, offering to them the peace and joy that we have received from you. In this way, you build your kingdom, one person at a time. Offering forgiveness and mercy and the hope of eternal life. What an amazing God you are! Amen.
