You Must Flee Evil to Pursue Peace

​Psalm 34:14
​Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

On 11/23/2019 I took my car to be serviced for free as part of my lease agreement with Toyota. My mileage was over 9,000 and it should have been taken in at 5,000 miles. Taking good care of a vehicle allows for slower value depreciation. When I was with my parents the week before, within a few moments of being in my car with me my father said, “You gotta take your car in to be serviced. I see the maintenance message on your dashboard.” I told him that I would take it to be serviced soon. My father always checks on mine and my sibling’s cars if he’s with us. He is notoriously good at maintaining his and my mother’s vehicles. I remember a few years ago I took my old car in to Discount Tires to have my tires rotated and the technician advised that I needed to get brand new tires. I was upset because I had purchased four tires for about $600 less than 2 years ago and the tires should have lasted closer to 5 years. He advised that since I had not taken my car in for regular maintenance to have the tires rotated that the treads wore down. He showed me the tread measurement and advised against continuing to drive with those tires. I asked him to repeat to me the reasons why I had to purchase new tires. I stood there for a moment taking it all in, accepting responsibility and deciding not to mismanage my resources again with respect to my car's tires. Clearly, I recognize that I need to not mismanage my resources again for my entire car!

Today’s passage of scripture that I reflect on in this journal reminds me of the maintenance that’s required for holy living to enjoy the good of life and live long as Psalm 34:12 indicates. Depart from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue peace are simple directives that allow me to live the abundant life that the LORD Jesus Christ sacrifice affords me to have through His grace. So much of the ease that I find in ELOHIM is through quality time and building a relationship with the LORD. I have been learning a lot about my relationship with ELOHIM since 2011. I am eternally grateful for the foundation that I received while living in my parents’ home and serving in ministry alongside my parents as they pastored a church. Still, growth requires transformation. I’m shedding old garments that do not work for me and am being washed and robed with new garments in the kingdom.

Since I’ve been at Duke Divinity School, I’ve learned the power of regular communion through the teachings of our early church fathers. I am so compelled to partake in communion more regularly and I desire to teach these principles to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I truly do believe that partaking of communion and other sacraments along with frequent mindful engagement of Christian disciplines allows me to truly transform, be holy, and live like Jesus Christ in the earth.  

Prayer:
Oh, LORD, my strength and my redeemer! You are the sustaining force of all creation. Thank You for reminding me that the value of humanity does not depreciate. Thank You for today’s reminder of the simplicity of the gospel. Thank You for Your transformative grace. Amen. 

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​written by Myrina K. Robinson
Duke Divinity School MDiv 2022
Guest Blogger for BWET Blog ​