Peace

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Scripture: Micah 4:4 (NLT)

4 Everyone will live in peace and prosperity,

enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,

for there will be nothing to fear.

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies

has made this promise!

 

Devotion:

            Peace, everyone wants it, but very few people find it. This prophecy of Micah’s that we read above has not yet been fulfilled. The idyllic peaceful scene described here will only be fulfilled when the Lord returns in power at the end of the age. This does not mean, however, that we should not try, at least, to bring peace about in our corner of the world. We are responsible for whether we bring peace or distress wherever we go.

            Most of know the Lord’s prayer. In it we pray that God’s kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven. These are more than pleasant words. They are a call to action on our part. We are to bring peace wherever we go as far as it depends on us. We all will fail at this. I know that there have been times when my family life, work life, and even my recreation time have not been scenes of peace and contentment. However, we must repent of our wrongdoings, seek peace, and pursue it.

            We must first acknowledge that we can never have real peace in this world until we have peace with God. Without such peace we will be constantly fighting with God and our neighbors. This should not be so. We must pray and repent of our rebellion against God if we are to have any hope of being at peace with our neighbors. God desires peace with us so much that he sent his only son to die on a cross to make peace with rebellious humanity. We can accept that peace offering and live a life of peace with God or reject God’s generous offer and continue to live in rebellion against him.

            Accepting God’s offer will not solve all our problems and bring instant tranquility to our lives. But it is a good first step toward the kind of peace we all desire. So, we must wait for peace to come from heaven when Jesus returns to bring peace with him. However, we are all called to be striving for peace in our own time and place every day. In this small way we can contribute to making the world a more peaceful place. Let us pray to the God of peace to send his peace to this hurting and broken world soon.

Prayer:

            Lord, we see a broken world. It is torn apart by wars between nations, and disputes between neighbors. Although we seek peace in our lives, we can never achieve it fully because of our fallen and broken nature. Lord, heal your children’s warring madness and let each person enjoy peace with you and with our neighbors. Take our weapons of war and turn them into instruments of peace. Help us to constantly ask for your will to be done on earth as we know it is in heaven. Amen.

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