People the world over are yearning for peace in the midst of their burning issues. Sickness, isolation, loss of income, frustration, death of dear and near ones, and so on are more personal unlike natural calamities, epidemics, political unrest, wars and the like. More and more people turn to religion and spirituality to find solace, comfort and peace.
Blessing of Peace
Irrespective of situations the Bible directs people to peace, comfort and confidence. It maintains that God is the source of peace. God of the Bible is one who relates to people. He made covenants with them and promised to live in fellowship with them. He expressed this through selected individuals in the form of blessings like the following:
‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’
(Numbers 6:24-26 NLT)
Promise of Peace
Peace was promised as a blessing to all those who relied upon God and remained under His protection. Kings and leaders who knew this reality wrote and sang about it, like these lines of the psalmist…
The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.
(Psalms 29:11 NLT)
Prince of Peace
Among the promises God made to His people, one that was central to every blessing was the promise of a Saviour who would bring deliverance, freedom and ever lasting peace to all. This was prophesied around the eighth century BC and was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. (Isaiah 9:6 NLT)
The birth of the Saviour again announced the blessing of peace as written in the Gospel of Luke.
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
(Luke 2:13-14 NLT)
Towards the end of His life on this earth Jesus encouraged His followers saying:
I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn’t like the peace this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.
(John 14:27 CEV)
Messengers of Peace
When Jesus left this world after His resurrection, He commissioned His followers to continue His mission and promised to send a comforter, the Holy Spirit, to be with them. When the Holy Spirit comes they will be empowered to carry His message of peace to the nooks and corners of the globe. (Acts 1:8)
Jesus also reminded them that they would face hardships, opposition and persecution while going about His mission. They experienced it during their lifetime and admonished the body of believers to pray with thankful hearts and assured them of the blessing of peace.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)
Know the “Prince of Peace” and know peace.
