If darkness is the place you choose to meet with me...

Finding Peace: Being a Peacemaker (2016-11-27)

Robbie Reider (14:20)

You know, at the top of this song it says, "If darkness is the place you choose to meet with me..." Another verse says, "If it's in the mystery that you are found..." I love those lines, because they refer to the place that we see a lot of people throughout the Bible. You know, the folks that God seems to interact with are folks that are in some predicament, they're in some place where there is no hope, where this no way of rescue. And it's in that place where you see really honest prayers come out. It's where you see the pretense fall away and you see the real brokenness of humanity just go, "God... where are you? I thought you would be here." And it's in those places where you see God go, "Yeah, I see you're broken and I've come to rescue you." And so what I love about that is it give me hope, it gives us hope as we walk in here, you know, a bunch of humans with our own unique stories of brokenness, our own unique stories of needing to encounter a Savior.

And in those places, what we see is God takes brokenness and his ability to redeem, and he puts things together and those are the people that he uses and brings close to Him. It's not the people who pretend to have all their stuff together, it's the folks who are like, "Yep, I'm the first of the broken."

Thank you, Robbie.  On so many occasions now, you've said something that touched me and turned the music into a personal prayer.

If the darkness is the place that you will meet with me

In the dark night of the soul, your love it reaches me

When the sun can't reach, your light it carries me

If the darkness is the place that you will meet with me

Make me yours, though I'm broken through and through

Make me yours, though I've nothing left but you

If in the mystery is where you are found

In the shadow of your wings the poor become the crowned

In the dark and in the deep, your voice it speaks to me

If in the mystery is where you are found

Brian Tome

Romans 12:18

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Philippians 2:1-4

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Several years ago (like 2007, maybe?) Greg Boyd spoke at Crossroads.  One thing he said, which struck me so much that I wrote it down and have kept it with me all these years, was this:

If you're ever in a theological debate, or any kind of a debate, and winning the debate becomes more important than expressing Calvary-like love to the person you're debating, do the Kingdom of God a favor and SHUT UP.