It is for us
to train our hearts
to live in grace,
to sacrifice our self-centered desires,
to find peace without want
without seeking it for ourselves,
and when we fail,
to begin again each day.
Once again the author packs a lot into a few words. The words “peace without want” grabbed me. In our materialistic world we are not only bombarded with noise about how our lives are incomplete without the latest gadget, automobile, or beauty product, but also trained to believe that we cannot be at rest until we go out and buy it. The author turns Madison Avenue on its ears by saying to live in grace we must train our “hearts” to discard self-centered desires, and our wants must be limited to fulfilling the wants and needs of others including “peace.” He kind of hints that grace is like being Santa Claus but asking nothing for ourselves. Easier said than done, don’t you think?
Our salvation comes in the last few words. He doesn’t say “if” we fail, he says “when” we fail. He understands human nature. We begin each day again. I think God looks on each of us that way as well. He doesn’t believe we will live perfect lives, but he does expect us each morning to “begin again each day.”
I know Suzy is going to hate this analogy, but it’s a lot like potty training. We encourage perfect behavior, but know, especially at first, there will be failure. There will be good days and there will be total regression. Ultimately “it is for us” to train our hearts and the reward is a life in grace and peace without want.
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