Peace

"If you only knew today what is needed for peace!" (Luke 19:42). When we look around and see the things that are happening in the world today, it is quite clear to us all that there is no peace in the world. Everywhere you hear of fighting, murder, wars and rumours of wars. It does not matter which newspaper you open, you will find the terrible things that people are doing to one another because of sin, hatred and jealousy. The great men of the world have been trying for many years now to bring peace to the world and none of them has ever yet succeeded. Not only is the world in this condition, but it is sad to say that many of our homes also do not have peace in them. Worst of all, though, is the fact that there is a very large number of people in the world today who do not have peace in their own souls and this is where the root of all the trouble lies.

In the beginning God created the world as well as the grass, flowers, trees and all animals that live under the water as well as those that live on the ground. God also created Adam and Eve and in this entire creation there was peace. Adam and Eve were not afraid of any of the animals, and the animals lived peacefully and happily together. The sheep could walk next to the lion and the lion would not harm it. Above all, there was peace between God and man, and Elohim talked with Adam and Eve. They had no fear in their hearts towards God.

Then the serpent, who is the enemy of peace, the father of lies, told Adam and Eve that they would not die even if they disobeyed God and took of the fruit which God had told them not to eat. Just as many people still, to this very day, listen to the voice of the devil, the sin in our natures, so Adam and Eve did what the serpent tempted them to do and sinned against God. At that very moment the peace they had enjoyed left them – all the peace and beauty which God had created was now destroyed in one act of sinning, and fear entered the hearts of Adam and Eve.

That evening when God came as usual to talk to them, they hid themselves and were afraid of God’s presence. "Sin came into the world through one man and his sin brought death with it".

Like Adam and Eve, the children of men prefer to disobey God and follow satan’s advice. The Jews rejected the Prince and when Pilate put Jesus and Barabbas before them, they shouted, "Away with Jesus! Give us Barabbas!" In other words, they were saying ‘Take away the Prince of peace and give us hate, wars, murder and sin!’ These people of their own free will chose Barabbas. The days in which we are living are similar. God has given us a choice. We can have Jesus as our Saviour and our King and he will bring peace into our lives. He says, "Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid" (John 14:27). The sins within our lives have taken us far away from God, and in our sinful state we have no peace in ourselves. But Jesus is always standing with outstretched arms waiting to receive us back, to restore us, to make us sons of God and to give us peace again.

We are told in Romans 5:1, "Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." There is nothing in this world that can give us peace. Money, riches and fame cannot give it, drink cannot give it and putting our names on a church roll cannot give it. There is only one way to receive peace for ourselves and that is to come to the Lord Jesus, confess our sins to him and turn away from them. "If we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise and do what is right; He will forgive us our sins and purify us from our wrong doing" (1 John 1:9). The peace which Jesus gives is a peace far beyond human understanding (Philippians 4:7). It cannot be explained by man, but we can experience it in our lives if we are willing to turn away from sin and sinful friends and to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and to serve him only. We may be able to live without peace but we cannot afford to die without peace: "For God’s kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace" (Romans 14:17). Therefore, if we do not have the peace of God in our hearts when we die, we certainly will not be welcomed into his kingdom.

Bro Mayende Erisania Sifuna (Busia, Uganda)