The Peace of God

Peace is very scarce today. Many people find themselves alienated from their families and even friends. That may have happened through divorce and broken relationships, but they even feel isolated when they are alone. Something about their life is broken, and they don't know how to fix it. There is that gnawing feeling that something good is missing, and if they could find it, everything would be OK. They try to pursue it but can't find it. It disappears like a mirage even when they feel they are about to lay hold of it.

Real peace comes from God and is found when we give our lives to Jesus. The Apostle Paul said, "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

But it is evident when a person finds peace with God through Christ. The greatest gift is knowing that one's sins are forgiven and forgotten through Christ. Knowing that you are reconciled to God brings joy. The burden-lifting nature of forgiveness of sin is a comfort we so long for, and once experienced, we realize that is what was missing.

In the story of Pilgrim's Progress, Christian, in his long and arduous journey, when he finally arrives at the cross, something extraordinary happens:

         Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which CHRISTIAN was to go was fenced on either             side with a wall; and that wall was called "Salvation".

Up this way, therefore, did burdened CHRISTIAN run; but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.

He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a Cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as CHRISTIAN came up to the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble; and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.

Then was CHRISTIAN glad and lightsome, and said, with a merry heart,

"He hath given me rest by his sorrow, And life by his death."

 Paul spelled the ingredients of peace in his letter to the Philippians: We are told to not be anxious, but instead, rejoice, be gentle, be thankful, and pray (Philippians 4:6-7).

When we have peace, we have self-control. Self-control is the basis for a successful life. Yesterday, I watched a football game between Oregon State and Ohio State. In the first few minutes of the game, a top receiver for Oregon State was ejected from the game and removed from the field for spitting in his opponent's face. This was this young man's biggest game of the year, but he was disqualified because he could not control himself. Without peace, we find ourselves disqualified from life.