A Piece of Peace

 In case you missed it, we live in a crazy world. That’s probably too flippant. We live in dangerous days, and in many ways, very dark days. And yet, we have a peace to preach to ourselves and others. If circumstances feel uncertain or people act in ways that anger you, that sense of fear rises up in all of us. Sacred people do things to gain control. Fear can make you fight, isolate, or even just talk too much (like Peter when faced with the Transfiguration experience, Mark 9:6). The first item in seeking a piece of peace is to know the tendencies of your own heart. Are you a fighter? Do you pull the covers over your head? Do you get sassy or sarcastic? Preaching peace to yourself is resting in the peace of a Sovereign God who neither “slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:3-4). He is not unaware of the chaos of riots, immigration raids, or bombs being dropped in dangerous places. So, preach peace to yourself. Second, knowing that you only get a piece of peace provides a realistic (Biblical!) expectation so you can battle disappointment and disillusion. People-pleasing, false prophets preach “Peace, peace, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14) deceiving un-thinking people. Naysayers offer hopeless words of no peace, but Gospel-motivated, Bible-centered, disciple-citizens preach peace to the soul, pray for peace in the world, and know true and lasting peace is only promised when the King returns. We get a piece of peace in the ‘now’ as we wait for the promised peace of the ‘not yet’. Preach peace well my friends!