Faced with the challenge of, "now what?" following Devolution in Northern Ireland and an apparent end to the peace process this is what I feel the Lord is saying:
This is not an end result. This is not all prayers answered. This is a beginning, an inspiration for more and deeper prayers. The wounds of Ireland are bigger than Sinn Fein and the DUP. They are bigger than Protestant and Catholic. The wounds of Ireland are not limited to the North, they stretch across the entire island. And to view current events as prayers for Ireland answered is like putting a band-aid on a dirty, gaping wound.
In order for deep wounds to be healed they must first be recognized and acknowledged. They must be cleaned out. After that process true healing can begin. I believe Ireland is called to be a nation of healers, to be a nation of peacemakers. But first she must be healed and set at peace. Not a superficial glossing over, but real, true, permanent healing.
None of this is to negate or belittle what has already happened, because it is a very big thing, a very good thing. But we must be careful that we do not settle for the good thing at the expense of the best thing.
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