Peace

I just finished reading today’s paper and I must admit I could easily be depressed were it not for my faith. The world news is most depressing. It is easy to see why there is no peace. There are no major world wars being fought but given the condition the world is in it is easy to think that could come to an abrupt end real soon. The war in Afghanistan, the oil spill in the gulf, the Israeli blockade of Gaza, the economy and unemployment, the dissatisfaction with the government, spiraling medical costs, the budget deficits, the national debt, the falling value of the dollar, earthquakes killing thousands of people and the devastating floods here in Tennessee with thousands of people losing their homes; it all adds up to troubles and tribulations.
People everywhere are looking to the governments of the world to fix all this mess. I just read a blog about the meeting of the G20 in Toronto in a few weeks. The G20 is a group of twenty of the world’s wealthiest industrialized nations. It seems the world is looking to them to solve many of the world’s problems––in just forty eight hours. Needless to say, this blogger was very skeptical, just as I am. Forty eight hours? Really?
As I read his blog, I got the distinct impression that his feelings reflect the feelings of millions, maybe billions of people in the world. People’s hearts are filled with doubts fears and skepticism; all fueled by the list of things above and hosts of other situations.
There is no peace in the hearts of men. Recently, I noticed a bumper sticker on a car in front of me that read, No Jesus, No Peace, Know Jesus, Know Peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) How many of really like the “peace” the world gives?
Jesus said his peace wasn’t like the “peace” the world gives. He told us, “Let not your heart be troubled.” How can our hearts not be troubled in a world that knows nothing but troubles? Jesus told us in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
I think you will agree, the world offers nothing but empty promises and false hopes and all we get seems to be more troubles. If we would know peace we have to know Jesus. He alone can give us real peace. He alone can give us real hope. How can we have peace in the world that does not know peace? It is only by having made peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Only Jesus can reconcile us to God. There is no other way. When we have the peace that Jesus gives, we too can overcome the world. With him, we can not be troubled by the world’s situations. We see this world as only a temporary place we must pass through. None of us are here to stay so we have not based our hopes in what is only temporary. Those, who do base their hopes in this world, have no hope.
I’m thankful all the bad news has not depressed me. Jesus told us it was going to be this way. Why won’t more people listen to him? Know Jesus, Know Peace.