Thursday, April 15

Begin your time with God by reading these verses from Ephesians 2:14-18…

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

What is Peace?

We generally tend to think of peace as the absence of conflict. We think of it purely in circumstantial terms, like this is a peaceful evening, or we had a nice peaceful dinner. But Paul seems to be talking about a different kind of peace in this passage.

As a pastor, I sometimes meet with people who are in conflict with someone. They will talk about all of the wrongs that person has done and all of the reasons they are justified in being so upset and angry with them. They talk as if their peace depends solely on what the other person does. They say things like, “If they will apologize, if they will make it right, then I could have peace.”

But peace from the Biblical perspective is something much deeper than external circumstances or the mere absence of conflict. True peace is oneness with Jesus Christ. Anything else is superficial and temporary. Deep down, we know this to be true.

This is why what we call peace among nations never lasts--because it isn't really peace. It isn't oneness at all. It is only weariness with warfare, an agreement to stop it for awhile until we can all recuperate and rearm. Then it breaks out all over again, because nothing is ever settled.

But here Paul gives us the secret of peace – Oneness. The secret of oneness is a Person: “he himself is our peace.” What Paul is saying is that in order to live at peace, you must have peace.

The problem with most of us is that we want to start by trying to clear up only the results of conflict. God never starts there; He starts with the person. He says peace is a Person, and in order for you to live at peace with someone else, you must be at peace with the Person of Christ. If you have His peace, then you can start solving the conflict around you. So the place to start, the origin of peace, is the settling of any problems between you and Jesus Christ.

Spend a few moments thanking God for the peace you have in Jesus Christ…

Bring to mind anyone or any circumstance with which you do not feel at peace…
Ask Him to help you let go of the desire to control the person or situation…
Ask God to remind you that He is your peace regardless of your circumstances…

Prayer:

Oh Father I praise you for the peace you have given me in Jesus Christ. Forgive me for trying to manipulate and control others and myself. Teach me to rest in the peace that comes from knowing and trusting in you – Amen.


Jeff Frazier