The Deepest Wish

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”  - Jesus

I have thought a LOT about the verses above. I had to teach on these verses at a Bible study and I spent a long time meditating on them and studying Matthew 5. They led me to a personal conclusion, too.

I love many of my titles. I love being a wife. I love being a Mom. I love being a friend, a sister, a “siesta” (wink wink) and I love being a disciple. But there is one title I most deeply desire to hold while here on earth.

I want to be a peacemaker.

Allow me to explain. A peacemaker is not the same as a “peacekeeper”. It isn’t the “bend to another person’s will” kind of doormat you might be thinking. No, a peacemaker MAKES peace where there is none. A peacemaker is no coward. They know when to be quiet and when to stand their ground. A peacemaker shows others how to be at peace with one another or with God.

So why a peacemaker? Peacemakers “will be called sons of God.” That’s straight from Jesus’ lips. And yes, it goes for daughters, too. I don’t know how you picture God. I don’t know how you imagine heaven but I will share my deepest, most sacred desire with you. When I picture my great crossover into heaven I do not imagine myself standing in awe of this remarkable place with no pain and no sin. I don’t picture myself immediately searching for loved ones so we can catch up. I don’t picture myself checking out the “mansions” reserved for those who “stored up treasures in heaven”. I am not even looking so much for a “well done, good and faithful servant” like so many like to say.

Nope.

I want a bear hug. I want to run into His arms and I want a big, giant hug that can only be described as a “Daddy hug”. I want to be greeted as a beloved daughter coming home. If you know me well, this makes perfect sense to you.

And before you get your theological panties in a bunch, can I just say – it’s just a wish. I’m not claiming to have some insight into what heaven will be like. You may say I will fall on my face in worship right away– and I might and that would be awesome. I look forward to worshiping forever but I like to hope that when I am greeted it is as daughter first, one who is known, who is loved deeply, and in my head I think maybe even a spin as He hugs me because He is so happy I am there. And He could. You don’t really know. I am a daughter, and He has a long history of going to great lengths to bring me redemption and joy. He became sin and died to buy me back from darkness so are we going to argue that a spin is inconceivable? Just sayin. After that I could gladly fall on my face and stay there for at least the first 50 billion years. He is that awesome. 

Welcoming my husband home in 2003. See? Hugs. 

I share all that to say that something within me believes that I was created to be a peacemaker. We weren’t created to be puppets. We don’t get adopted into the Kingdom as “servants” or “followers” or “slaves”. Oh, to be a slave of Christ is a worthy aspiration because He is kind, merciful and only chooses best for us. But we are adopted into the Kingdom first as His children. So to be a peacemaker here is just so fitting.

Of all our time with Vika, none has been so rewarding as sharing with her about Jesus. Telling her that she does, in fact, have a loving Daddy has always been willing to adopt her as daughter, desires to protect her, love her, and have a real relationship with her. She has an all-powerful Daddy that can bend the universe in her favor; who sees her future and redeems her past. And I feel sure I know her well enough to know she is hoping for a big “daddy hug” greeting, too.

And yes, sweet Vika, I know it hurts. I know you have a void. I know something about that. But this void is God-shaped and nothing else will fill it anyway. And I am so happy for what has happened here. And I will pray every day that you remember it always and I pray specifically  “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ” (Phil 1:9-10). And I pray on that day, He greets you with a bear hug.

And SPINS.

But I also know we must tell the others. The orphans, the depressed and the weary, the abandoned and abused, the addict, the mother on anti-depressants with skeletons in her closet, the man searching for significance, the runaway and the Sunday morning “faker”….. we need to tell them. They were created for more. They were created for hope, joy and love. It is possible. But we must tell them.

Making a scrapbook to remind her she is known and loved. 

Yes, we were all created for more.

Oh, I am already a daughter. That was sealed years ago and there is nothing here I could or need to earn. Still, somehow I just know I was born to be a peacemaker.

Between you and me, Vika, I think you were, too. 

"Some wish to hear the word of God, others wish to receive it." --Anonymous