Matchmaker

Some people love to play Matchmaker. You know them, don’t you? They are always trying to put two people together because they know it will work out. And sometimes it does.

Well, I am praying that a certain two would come together and make a match. Based on what I have seen, I don’t think there is much hope on the human side. But from God’s perspective, it is a match made in Heaven.

I am praying that we will see Righteousness and Peace together in our church, our community, and our nation.

Righteousness is a big word that we use in our churches that most people find hard to pin down. The way I define it at times is “right-relationship.” We are to be in right-relationship with God, which can only come through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are also to be in right-relationship with one another as we together live out God’s commands as a way of life.

Peace comes from the Hebrew word shalom. It is where a person’s or community’s life with God and everything else around them is in harmony. Shalom is not just spiritual but physical as well. It is when God’s peace extends into every fabric of our lives.

Sadly, I have seen how our American church has given these two a bad name and split the two apart. Righteousness is portrayed as a moral code that is absent any understanding of relationship. Peace is understood as harmony but there is little mention of God. Unfortunately, I have seen Christian leaders who use righteousness as a way to vilify others in the name of God. And then I have seen others who do the opposite and speak of peace and drop every standard in the name of acceptance.

Well, in Psalm 85 we are told that when God comes down and visits His people that righteousness and peace come together. In fact, they even kiss. Psalm 85:10 reads, “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”

Oh, how I long for that to happen, where we see God’s glory in our midst and righteousness and peace together. I yearn for true revival to happen, where we see God’s footsteps (85:13) all over our community. I want God to come down and receive the glory He deserves. I want to see people come to know Him. I want us to act like Him. I long for revival, don’t you?

While we pray and long and wait, I believe we need to live right now with the belief that God is present amongst us. We are to strive together and make sure that God’s match is made in our church. We are to do this when we discern God’s voice together, when we spend time together, and when we are out with others.

Together let’s try to work at making the match that is made in Heaven. And let’s pray that God makes the match a reality in our midst.

O Heavenly Father, make a Heavenly match. Reveal Yourself and come down amongst us.

Photo by Dave Gilbert