If you were able to see God’s view of the world, what do you think would you see? When will ²… so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation, become true in our world?

When will peace and calm ever descend on us? Will it happen when a new government is appointed? Will it happen when every murderer and criminal is behind bars? When will it ever end?

I suspect there is only one answer to all these questions: It will happen the day that all people have accepted the salvation of Jesus Christ: ⁴He wants not only us but everyone saved.

That is God’s dream. That is how God sees the world – that each and every being will come to Him. Then peace and calm will descend on the world. But when I look around, our world doesn’t look like that at all.

Just look at the pictures that pop up on your Facebook wall as you scroll down. Murder, hijacking, state capture, fraud, theft, rape, and much more. All over the world. And the reason is because God’s picture hasn’t become true yet.

I suspect we all play a part in this. It’s because we don’t do our work that the world looks like that. We don’t show God to the world. People don’t see God’s hands and feet, because we hide them in our homes.

We drive past the pain and suffering. We focus on ourselves and our own dreams. Our heart isn’t God’s heart. On the contrary. We list one reason after the other to rather stay at home than put energy into building God’s New World.

Maybe I’m too hard, but we have to face the real facts. To a great extent, the world out there looks like it does because injustice rules. We most probably do not perpetrate the injustice (although some of us do), but the real question is: What are we doing about it? Do we help to stop it? What do we do to make God’s picture part of the world around us? What do we do to help realise God’s picture of our complete dedication to him?

I hang my head in shame, because I realise I’m often so busy with my own picture that I do not always see God’s picture.

We must go back to option A in verse 1 of this chapter. We must start praying for one another. We must pray for the government, for our friends and family, for our colleagues and employees – we must pray that everybody will surrender to God.

But even more, we should act. We must be Jesus’ hands and feet wherever we go, because actions speak louder than words. When God acts through what we do, his picture starts taking shape and peace and calm will descend.

Because, ³This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

Scripture

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Reflection

Do you help make God’s picture true?
Do you pray for others?
What more can you do?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, most of us long for peace and calm and love. Please help me not to rush around so much, and to live peacefully with all people, and to show your love to others. Amen.