Peace

It seems that these days there is little peace in the world. The news is full of the ongoing strife that exists between one country and another and one ethnic group against the other. There is also the tragedy of recent earthquakes and Tsunamis that have caused profound suffering and need. Looking at life more locally here in the UK, murder and crime happen with an increasing frequency and the recession continues to take its toll on all our finances. Then we are reminded of our frailties as diseases like cancer continue to ravage homes indiscriminately and illnesses once thought eradicated such as rickets and tuberculosis appear with new vigour. There’s not enough time to talk about the break-up of families and marriages and the increasing strife between people. It is all too familiar with Jesus’ word on the last days:

“[6] And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. [7] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. [8] All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.”
(Matthew 24:6-8 ESV)

Even the strongest of us would be hard put not to lose heart in these things. However, Jesus does say that we are not to be alarmed. We’re also reminded that it is in the “last days…” that God pours out his Holy Spirit on all people.

So what are we to do? As ever, we need to place out trust in God. Psalm 9 reminds us that those who know God will trust him. We need to get to know God in a greater measure. Once we have an ongoing intimate relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit we will begin to know an abiding peace. Peace is essential. Peace allows us to function properly on a day-to-day basis and not run off in some sort of panic. Jesus told us he would leave us his peace (John 14:27). He told us we would have much trouble, but to take heart as he has overcome the world. So what do we do in difficult situations? We follow in the footsteps of the great men and women of Hebrews 11. We don’t allow the world to move us, we don’t allow the difficult circumstances to move us, but as Smith Wigglesworth so ably said,

“I am not moved my what I see, I am only moved by what I believe.”

We finish with the words of Jesus:

[27] 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 ESV)