Peace on Earth

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” 

Luke 2:13-14

Our world often speaks of peace. The Bible speaks of peace, too:

Peace with God - that's the peace between man and God. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Romans 5:1)

Peace of God - the peace that we can have internally. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27)

Peace with others - this is peace we can experience when we have the first two: peace with God and the peace of God. "So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another." (Romans 14:19)

Aren't these three forms of peace the kind we really desire? It begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and give ourselves to Him, we are reconciled with God; no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). He then gives us the Holy Spirit to indwell us and give us the internal peace that we need to face life's trials and disappointments. Finally, He teaches us how to have peace with others -- even when they are anything but peacemakers themselves. There can be peace on earth. Not as the world gives, but as Christ gives.

Peace Comes With Practice

"The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

Philippians 4:9

Driving through our neighborhood this afternoon, I spied two elk resting in the grass. As I pulled my car over to the side of the road and took this photo, I marveled at how calm the beautiful animals were. They knew I lurked only a few yards from them, yet they showed no fear. They were at peace with their surroundings. The Book of Philippians is filled with instructions for finding peace in the midst of our suffering: pray about everything, rejoice in the Lord always, give thanks, dwell on the things that are excellent, be completely humble and dependent upon Christ. Paul wrote these things to the believers in Philippi so that they might experience the fulness of the God of peace. His words are relevant for us today, as well. But just as Paul admonished the Philippians to practice these things, so must we practice what God's word teaches. Peace comes with practice.

God's Idea of a Blessing

'The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine on you,

And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace.'

Numbers 6:24-26

This beautiful benediction was spoken over the people of Israel by Aaron. Of particular interest is that the words were given by God Himself. The Lord wants to bless you, but His idea of blessing may be quite different from yours. He may not choose to give you material wealth, but would have you find your wealth in your relationship with Him. The Lord wants to keep you and give you His character. He wants to smile upon you and extend His grace to you. The Lord wants to lift His head and pay attention to you, and He wants to give you His peace. This is God's idea of a blessing over you. What a marvelous way for us to pray over ourselves and our families.

Lasting Peace

"Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

This morning my husband and I walked through Endo Valley in Rocky Mountain National Park, taking photos of the beauty we surveyed. It was so peaceful there. Except for the occasional bull elk bugling in the distance or bird twittering nearby, the only sound came from water rippling through the stream. It's easy for me to feel at peace out there, in the midst of God's pristine creation. But what about when I get back home to the dusty reality of life? Terrorism, a bad economy, friends who are ill or out of work, family members with financial needs. All these things threaten my peace. But the Lord says not to be anxious about such things. Instead, take all these problems to Him in prayer, and with a thankful heart (realizing the many blessings I do have and thanking Him for them) ask Him for help with these problems. Then God's peace, which is greater than the peace I felt this morning in the Park, will quiet my heart and mind. Thank you, Father, for this reminder.

Excellent Thoughts

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." 

Philippians 4:8

The Apostle Paul's admonition to think on things that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise is really about thinking godly thoughts. Training our minds to focus this way brings spiritual maturity; seeing things as God sees them. This has strong implications regarding what we choose to read, listen to, watch, and how we speak. Something to consider as we seek God's peace in our lives.