Page 53 - Grace150 Devotional

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no
one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 NIV
In a fit of rage, Cain killed Abel. This is the first recorded murder in the Bible.
In the books of 1 and 2 Kings, there are numerous stories of deceit, murder, and
other atrocities. In our society today, we daily hear of all kinds of evil done to
man-- school shootings, spousal abuse, cruelty to children and the list goes on.
How did we get to this place?
Someone says or does something to which another takes offense. That person
decides to retaliate based on what he interprets as the other person’s motive.
Anger leads to rage, rage leads to violence, and violence leads to murder. Not
every incident goes this far, but left unchecked, these hurts can lead to lifelong
distrust and animosity between people.
Is there a better way? Jesus tells us to “turn the other cheek,” and the apostle Paul
says to “make every effort to live in peace and be holy.” This can only be done
with God’s grace and the Holy Spirit. This verse has become a great help to me in
“letting things go” and not escalating things to the next level. I have come to see
what the Lord suffered for me is far greater than any injustice I may experience.
Praise God for His unlimited grace!
Father, grant us the wisdom and grace to live in peace with all our brothers
and sisters.
– Fred Nelson

devotions for the journey DAY 46