In this world of tumults and wars there is peace. However, it is not how many of us think of peace. Our dreams of what peace is often center around a concept of some utopian world where all is kind and gentle. That is not peace; that is heaven where God reigns without any opposing influence. But peace in this world is a peace in the face of opposition. God’s peace on this earth is no Utopia! While getting along peaceably with our neighbors is good, we misunderstand the peace of God if we think that living peaceably is the totality of the peace to which God calls us. We are instructed to “pursue peace with all people” and that we should pray “that we may live our lives peaceably.” But while we seek the peaceable life of civility with our neighbors, we must understand that we never make peace with worldliness by simply going with the flow. James writes, ”Whoever wants to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Our first step to true peace is to have peace with God. This often brings us into conflict with the world’s ways, and yet, by God’s grace, we live peaceably in this world as much as possible. Jesus grants us peace with God and enables us to be in the world yet not of the world.
Go in peace. -- Ben