Woman of Peace/Dianne Hogue

Dear friends,

Today's "Woman of Peace" is Dianne Hogue. Our footsteps providentially crossed in 1998 when we served in the same public school. She exuded light, life and love from the moment I met her and more so now. Here are her reflections of peace. She says:

"I believe scripture teaches that peace begins with faith.  We see in Romans 5:1 that we have peace with God because of our faith in His work to present us justified before the Father through Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  

When we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are brought into a right relationship with God; We are justified. We are made righteous through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Can we really have true peace with others if we have not been reconciled to God and enjoy peace with Him?

All through scripture righteousness and peace are linked together. We read in Isaiah 32 that peace is the fruit of rightheousness. So taking that in a logical sequence of events, it seems that if we are attuned to right living (making the choices of doing what is right because of the provision of Jesus), then we can expect peace to follow. Hard choices and right choices are not always easy but they are always possible.

Psalm 85 states:

   "Love and faithfulness meet together; 

   righteousness and peace kiss each other." 

 Isaiah 32

  "The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert, 

      his righteousness live in the fertile field. 

  The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; 

      its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. 

  My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, 

     in secure homes, 

     in undisturbed places of rest."

  I am reminded of this admonition in Psalm 34:

    "Turn from evil and do good; 

        seek peace and pursue it."

True peace is about so much more than just the absence of conflict.  It encompasses seeing that all of God's creation operates in quiet harmony.  I am always reminded of Mother Teresa when I think of true peace.  She went about doing good, bringing peace and understanding but with a firm resolve that what society deemed as the "lowliest among us" should be treated with utmost respect and cared for properly.

When seeking peace, we are seeking the face of God Himself manifested through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Maybe that is what it means when scripture says, "Righteousness and peace kiss each other."

Righteousness is God, I have His peace because of Jesus--I am kissing the face of God."

Love,

D.

What a beautiful expression, " I am kissing the face of God." May we all long for this.
To access Dianne's blog site, click here.

Peace,
Sheila