Good morning. May you live in peace today. That is easily said, and the sentiment is likely to be very genuine. But as we all know, peace can be fleeting.
The first thing to remember is that we, mankind, were created in peace and for peace. In the beginning, Adam and Eve walked, and talked with God in the cool of each evening. Everything about that image is peaceful. But as we all know, sin changed that perfect relationship with God and peace was the immediate casualty. They became sinners, and the first consequence of sin was fear and anxiety. Then and now, sin causes fear, anxiety, and robs us of peace.
We all long for peace… but too often it seems to be very hard to find, and once found it may be even more challenging to keep. Many people look for peace far and wide, whether that be in material things, social status, finances, relationships, etc. But just as the details of tomorrow are not guaranteed, neither are any of those things in which we hope to find peace. Thankfully, there is a source of peace that surpasses this world, and it is freely given. This is the peace that comes from God Himself.
God’s Word has a great deal to say about peace, and guidance for finding and keeping peace within our hearts is a frequently shared theme. With so much emphasis on peace throughout Scripture, we come to understand that our peace is very important to God. His Word reveals that true and lasting peace comes from God; that He desires peace for mankind; and that His peace was personified in the person of Jesus who is the giver of peace.
Discovering God’s peace is rarely an instantaneous occurrence, but peace will come to us through quiet meditation on passages from God’s Word that share the truth and the qualities of peace. Please consider these few verses and passages, selected from the many places in Scripture where God speaks to us about His peace:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Isaiah 26:3
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. 2 Thessalonians 3:16
God grants peace to those who love Him and to those will call upon Him. Peace within your heart and spirit is God’s desire for you today, and every day. God also calls upon us to be peacemakers “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 This means that we not only find and claim our personal peace through Him, but that we see ourselves as His ambassadors of peace in a world that is desperately lacking in peace of any kind.
Remember that peace is not just a feeling, it is action. As a Christ-follower, we are to create peace through the way we live. We are to find peace in the meditations of our hearts upon His Word. We are to share peace when the world around us would expect actions that are reflective of anxiety or may even expect violence. As we find peace, meditate upon it, savor and rejoice in it, we will find our lives blessed by our Father God.
May your day be remarkably peaceful!
Vern