Imago Gospels - Bonus - Mountains
This picture isn't tied to a specific Scripture passage, but just something that I was reflecting upon during our flight to Doha, Qatar today. Our flight had us going down from Europe, over the Black Sea and Turkey, and then skirting the border between Iran and Iraq before flying over the Persian Gulf into Qatar. As we flew between those two nations, it added something new to my prayer for peace. I could see villages and towns spotted throughout the region and wondered whether they were Iraqi or Iranian. I prayed about Sunni and Shia. I prayed about Jews and Muslims and Christians. I prayed about the peace that is so elusive even while we serve the Prince of Peace. I prayed about the fact that while we see lines on a map, when we are flying above at 35,000+ feet, there are no borders, just mountains, and terrain, and towns, and villages.
I love the honesty in the lyrics to the U2 song, Peace on Earth. It honestly wrestles with the lack of peace in the world even as we lift up prayers day after day, week after week, year after year, for Peace on Earth.
Heaven on Earth We need it now I'm sick of all of this Hanging around Sick of sorrow Sick of pain Sick of hearing again and again That there's gonna be Peace on Earth
Where I grew up There weren't many trees Where there was we'd tear them down And use them on our enemies They say that what you mock Will surely overtake you And you become a monster So the monster will not break you
It's already gone too far Who said that if you go in hard You won't get hurt
Jesus could you take the time To throw a drowning man a line Peace on Earth Tell the ones who hear no sound Whose sons are living in the ground Peace on Earth No whos or whys No-one cries like a mother cries For peace on Earth She never got to say goodbye To see the colour in his eyes Now he's in the dirt Peace on Earth
They're reading names out over the radio All the folks the rest of us won't get to know Sean and Julia, Gareth, Ann and Breda Their lives are bigger, than any big idea
Jesus can you take the time To throw a drowning man a line Peace on Earth To tell the ones who hear no sound Whose sons are living in the ground Peace on Earth
Jesus this song you wrote The words are sticking in my throat Peace on Earth Hear it every Christmas time But hope and history won't rhyme So what's it worth? This peace on Earth
Peace on Earth Peace on Earth Peace on Earth