Mission Prep: The Peacegiver

In seminary a couple of weeks ago, my teacher said something that was very profound for me. She mentioned that Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me", was the "theme" of seminary this year, but that, for the last part of the New Testament, the theme she thought of was Luke 22:32: "And when thou are converted, strengthen thy brethren." So, I think I'm going to make those scriptures my motto for these posts.

The other day I was in my brother's old room, organizing books (which I sometimes find myself doing subconsciously), and came across this book. I think I picked it up once, years ago, but didn't find it engaging or important to me, so I have no idea why I was drawn to it this time either. But I was, and just finished it.

(The Peacegiver, by James L. Ferrell)

The book follows the life of a fictional couple struggling with their marriage. The husband and main character, Ricky, is visited in his sleep by his late grandfather, who takes him to three scriptural moments in order to teach him: when Abigail begs David for forgiveness for her husband, Nabal's, sins against him, so that he may spare them from a terrible battle and destruction; when Nineveh is saved because they repented, and the Lord asks Jonah, who is bitter about it, "should I not spare Nineveh?"; and lastly, when Christ enters the Garden of Gethsemane to suffer for mankind. Through the book, you follow Ricky through his journey back to Christ and to a changed heart.

My own scattered thoughts I have recorded are as follows:

Forgiveness:

Love requires forgiveness, and one cannot truly forgive unless willing to love.

It is required for us to forgive all men (D&C 64:10). In order to have peace, joy, love, and the Spirit, we must be able and willing to forgive. We need to forgive. [There's] strength in forgiving, not in holding a grudge. [We have to] let it go, it's in the Lord's hands. See people as He does! See their light and glory. Love them. Do this and we can have peace and happiness--it's all up to us, not them.

Mercy:

"Mercy," as stated in the book, "can be extended only to those who are willing to extend it themselves."

Jonah 2:8: "They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy."

Mercy is a gift, not an entitlement. Don't think "I deserve it". Gratitude vs. entitlement--when we are grateful for God's blessings and His mercy, then we cease to think we are better or entitled to them.

Jonah:

 Jonah's story is a chiasm, which points to the center of the story (3.):

1. The Lord commands Jonah to preach against Ninevites.

2. Jonah sins, not wanting Nineveh to be saved.

3. Jonah repents and the Lord saves Jonah.

3. Nineveh repents and the Lord saves Nineveh.

2. Jonah sins, not wanting Nineveh to be saved.

1. The Lord asks Jonah: "Should I not spare Nineveh?"

In other words, Jonah and Nineveh are technically the same. Both have sinned, and if Nineveh should not be saved, than neither should Jonah. But God wants to spare them both, so it's up to them to repent and Jonah must realize that he isn't more deserving or entitled to God's mercy, because both he and Nineveh have sinned and been saved.

Change of Heart:

"The change that meant everything was not a change in Nabal, but a change in himself." (referring to David, but applies to all of us.)

Christ created a new and beautiful heart to replace our hard and cold ones when we turn to him and realize that we can't become better people and who we want to be without him. He can lift us and free us if we let him by repenting.

"Should I not spare Nineveh?"