Only light can drive out darkness

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

I have received so many emails lately decrying various groups as "the enemy", telling me that I need to take a stand, tell people to become more "Canadian", or telling me to resist the latest assault on Christianity.  These messages are typically filled with such intolerance that it makes me cringe.  How is this possibly living out the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount?  You know, where He tells us to LOVE our enemies, to PRAY for our enemies, and to turn the other cheek?  How are we going to have ANY influence to change people if we don't try to see them as God sees them?

Here are some thoughts from the late Martin Luther King Jr. that I feel are relevant to this subject...

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.

Can we be known as a people that cultivate love and peace, rather than distrust and fear?  I believe we can.

Amazing grace and eternal peace to you,

Bruce

Forgive us dear Lord for walking in darkness. 

We ask you Father to fill us today with love that transforms us.. love that drives out hate.. loves that sheds light on our dark ways. 

We desire dear Lord to be agents of reconciliation and hope.. fill us with peace and cause us to pursue peace with those who are different from us.. help us to see all people as your children. 

Lord fill us with hope.. we need your hope to replace our cynicism and fatalism.. we desire to follow you.. we need to be filled today.. cause love, peace and hope to spring fresh from our hearts today. 

And cause us Lord to be people who pray.

Amen

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address. Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.