Are You Prepared to Experience Peace in the Middle of Persecution?
Good Morning Friends,
Sometimes not taking everything so seriously is a true blessing. Sandra Bullock in the movie, Miss Congeniality plays an FBI agent that goes undercover in the Miss United States beauty pageant to prevent a bombing. As part of the pageant, contestants are asked a question related to society’s greatest need. Contestant after contestant gives the answer “world peace,” and receives applause. Then Bullock in the character of Gracie Hart, is asked the question and almost blows her cover by answering, “harsher punishments for parole violators… and (as an afterthought) world peace.” The thing is that everybody wants peace, and some even carry Peacemakers to assure it, but so few seem to have what Jesus had and explained in the Sermon on the Mount when he said blessed are the peacemakers for they shall attain peace. Thankfully Jesus provides us a pathway to an abundant and free peace even in the face of harassment. Are You Prepared to Experience Peace in the Middle of Persecution?
Scripture: But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch. There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed. When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. And they stayed there with the disciples for some time.
Acts 14:19-28 (NRSV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.
John 14:27-31a (NRSV)
Message: Peace…everybody wants it but there seems to be so little of it. What gives? Sometimes we might think that the best answer we can hope for is a joke that conveys the irony of this experience of life. Thankfully Jesus has a better answer for us. Look at the life of Jesus and you will see that perfect peace displayed. When he and the disciples were in the boat and the storm was raging, he was at peace. When the religious leaders were being antagonistic, he was at peace. When he was being arrested, he was at peace. When he was being falsely accused, he was at peace. When he was being stripped, beaten and nailed to the cross, he was at peace. How could he do this? And the answer is that he was always connected to the Father with a purpose that gave him a focus and love that caste out all fear. It is this focus that Jesus want us to have and it is very different from the peace the world wants to give. That’s because worldly peace is outward while heavenly peace is inward. Worldly peace is conditional. Friends, I imagine there have been times when you were alienated from God, and then Jesus gave you a spirit of comfort and strength in the face of problems. There is no sugar coating here. We will have problems. And must face them with a willingness to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Friends, suffering may come as a witness of our faith but always the focus needs to be on the love of God. We are to rejoice in the Lord in all circumstances because God’s love is unconditional and so is the Peace of Christ. It is here we learn that the experience of the Good News needs to come from the inside out and shared one with another.
Pray we seek and pursue peace. Pray we seek a holy purpose that glorifies God. Pray we realize that when we seek peace we are seeking God. Pray the peace of Christ rule our hearts. Pray God make us instruments of Christ’s peace. Pray we share the Good News of the Gospel. Pray that where there is hatred, we sow love. Pray we offer pardon in the face of injury. Pray we sow faith where there is doubt and joy in the face of sadness. Pray we pursue, receive, embrace and live in the perfect peace of Christ. Pray we share the Gospel. Pray we realize that discrimination may come but our emotional response to it can become part of the solution. Pray we not be a problem for people receiving the perfect peace of Christ. Pray we take stock of how true and deep our commitment is to God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 