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| Peace on Earth? (Philippians 4:7) |
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain,Peace on Earth?And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus..--Philippians 4:7I just finished reading Rick Warren's The Purpose of Christmas. As he writes of the angst and dis-ease in the world, here is one of the claims Warren makes: “There will never be peace in the world until there is peace in nations. There will never be peace in nations until there is peace in communities. There will never be peace in communities until there is peace in families. There will never be peace in families until there is peace in individuals. And there will never be peace in individuals until we invite the Prince of Peace to reign in our hearts. Jesus is the Prince of Peace." I think he's right. One criticism unbelievers often have about Christ is that if he was supposed to bring peace, why do we have wars, why is there strife? The answer, as well as the question, is summed up in Warren's quote above. But one question remains - how to achieve peace? The angel did say, after all, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14). Yet the world is in conflict! What to do? Do we need Compromise? Tolerance? Conquest? None of the above. We need Reconciliation, the catalyst of peace. Warren cites 3 kinds of peace that begin with a person reconciling their sin with God, which can only be done through Christ: Peace WITH God, which is Spiritual peace, and brings... Peace OF God, which is Emotional peace, and fosters... Peace WITH OTHERS, which is Relational peace. Interesting how that works - from the inside out. It's something we all know about the peace Christ brought, but perhaps we don't always feel or apply. That's why today's verse struck me in a new and interesting way today. Not only is God's peace mind-boggling ("transcends all understanding"), and calmly assuring (minds and hearts at rest), but it is also its own gate-keeper. That's right. Paul writes here that such peace - once reconciliation is achieved - serves as the very GUARD against the agents and circumstances of unrest. That's a pretty amazing thing when the very bridge you hope to erect is self-sustaining and the very wall you seek to build is self-defending! REFLECTIONFollow Paul's charge to young Timothy, and "pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Tim. 2:22).PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of December 13, 2009FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING Frank Walker Recovering from Surgery attempting to save his leg |