The Grace of Peace in Turmoil

In 2001 terrorists attacked the United States in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.  Since that time our country has been at war either in Iraq or Afghanistan or both. 15 years of war.  Since that time Russia has engaged in ongoing conflict with Chechen rebels and Georgia and Ukraine.  French troops have engaged in combat in Africa.  Other ongoing wars have raged across Africa.  The so called Arab Spring brought war, which in some areas continues to this day, to regions of Africa and the Middle East.  The combined death toll from all these conflicts reaches a millions of lives.  What the world cries for is a breath of peace.

The problem is that men are sinners and conflicts will rage as long as there are differences of ideas and agendas. That means that until Christ comes back there will be war.  Is there then no hope of peace?  This is certainly not the first time this question has been answered.  There has been no age in history where there has not been human conflict.  Others in other times and generations have also cried out for peace. 

During the American Civil War Henry Wadsworth Longfellow asked the question, where is peace, and was very discouraged about finding it.  In his great Christmas hymn, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, he said in stanza three, “And in despair I bowed my head; ‘There is no peace on earth’, I said.  For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth goodwill to men.” 

But that hopelessness is not the end of his hymn.  He awakened to the realization that God is not dead and wrote a very triumphant 4^th verse.  “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep; God is not dead nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth goodwill to men.” 

God is not dead.  His name is Peace – Jehovah Shalom.  He will one day bring peace to all the earth with the reign of His Son.  Until then He gives peace to all who will come to Him through Jesus Christ.  Paul wrote, “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  The greatest warfare of all is the enmity that sinful man has toward God and the greatest peace of all is the forgiveness of sins that God in return offers to man through His Son.  God is not dead.  Jesus Christ will give us peace with God and then He will give us the peace that passes understanding each day.  Praise God for His great name – Peace.  

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