Peace

Peace is a concept of many colors.  It is sought by many.  Expected by some.  Practiced  at times.  Ignored or just trampled on.  Experienced?  Peace experienced?  Maybe.  Depends.  Could be.  Let’s see. 

There have been peace signs, peace pipes, peace movements, peace prizes.  I was curious about peace particularly as it applies to my relationship with God.  It seemed checking the Bible for ideas on this was a good place to start. 

I noticed that in Genesis 4 the sons of Adam lacked peace.  Cain killed Abel.  That is an ominous beginning for families and societies to follow.  Jumping through history a bit I find Abraham and Lot engaged in a dispute over lands for their flocks.  They go their separate ways and have peace. 

Are you familiar with the Mizpah?  It is often quoted on a medallion worn by two people which says: The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.  It appears to be a blessing between friends but was really a peace agreement between rivals.  Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, who had married Laban’s two daughters, Rachel and Leah, was leaving with the wives, kids and wealth he had.  Laban who had used Jacob pursued him.  They made an agreement to stay away from each other in order to have peace.  Here is another rendering of the Mizpah: “May the LORD keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other’s sight.” Genesis 31:49 (NLT)   It lacks the warm fuzzies the other idea of Mizpah enjoyed.  This has more to do with stopping the feud.  I just watched the series on the Hatfields and McCoys.  Their relationship was filled with intense and senseless bitterness and violence.  Stopping the feud is a good step in the right direction.  The families signed a peace agreement 138 years after it all began. 

The peace pictured is one of opposing forces agreeing to stop fighting and possibly separating from one another in order to just let the other be.  That may be what is needed at times.  But when I think of Romans 5:1 I imagine there is more.  It says this: Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 (NLT)

If peace with God looks like the examples above then what I got because of Jesus is a God who isn’t fighting me and has separated from me for my own good.  Hmm.  Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God.” Iniquities make a separation between me and God not Jesus.  That can’t be the idea of peace Jesus has made possible.  There must be something else.

 

Peter greets the readers of his letter with these words: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 (ESV)   This isn’t a “cessation to hostilities” or a “separation” kind of peace.  Peace appears to be a positive thing that is related to my relationship with God the Father and Jesus our Lord. 

I am thinking peace is a force.  It is a forged friendship with the Triune God with powerful results.  In John 14 Jesus says this: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 (ESV)  The peace Jesus is offering is a gift homemade and not available in any stores.  He said His peace is distinct from what is available in the world.  In the world peace is a cessation of hostilities or if personal stress causes a lack of peace, then peace is found in Prozac.   So Jesus’ peace is something else, something more.  Looking around in John 14 there are some clues to what Jesus’ peace might be. 

This is rather exciting. 

A deep loving relationship between Jesus and me gets things going.  As if that isn’t enough Jesus asks the Father for the Holy Spirit to come and never leave.  There is more relationship, a connection between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Connection rather than cessation and separation. 

¹⁵ “If you love me, obey my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. John 14:15-16 (NLT)

Jesus relates and there is closeness not abandonment.

¹⁸ No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.  John 14:18 (NLT)

The divine and human relationship is mystical and real not just mythical and theory. 

²⁰ When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  John 14:20 (NLT)

God the Father and the Son joining in friendship with me is sufficient to crush the waves of uncertainty that come or the attacks of Satan that are certain and give me peace. 

²³ Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  John 14:23 (ESV)

Jesus’ peace comes in the relationship and in what He gives us.  The Holy Spirit comes in power to help, to comfort, to guide, to teach, to strengthen, to remind me of what Jesus has already said.  When I have all that I can certainly have peace. 

²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  John 14:26-27 (ESV)

There is more in Romans 5 worth taking a look at regarding peace with God.

¹ Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Remembering what was in John 14 I see the outworking of those things in Romans 5. 

² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

This new relationship, this dynamic connection with God because of Jesus opens up unparalleled possibilities for me.  The peace runs deep in me because of the relationship, the solid place to stand out of which comes confidence and joy and anticipation of sharing God’s glory.  That equips me for the ups and downs of life, the troubles around the next bend or on Thursday.  I see that in the following verses.

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.

I see the positive aspects of peace.  It is more than calm, but a force for living.  It leads to more of what God intended in me. 

⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  Romans 5:1-5 (NLT)

Peace with God includes His love.  He demonstrates how much He loves me by giving me the Holy Spirit who fills my heart with His love.  Jesus talked about those things in John 14 where He gives His disciples His peace that is like no other. 

The words of Isaiah serve to remind me that peace is from God and comes only to those who trust Him. 

³ You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 

⁴ Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.  Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

It appears Jesus was right again.  There is a peace the world gives and one from above.  I appreciate the need for the one the world gives, but I prefer the greater one from Him.  Peace, what a colorful word.