Oh Peace, Where Are You?

Peace. It's something we usually pray for throughout the year. Something we long for and hope to have active every day. The sad truth is, most of us don't feel it. We are busy and overwhelmed by the demands of life. There is a struggle; our spirit calls out in desperation while our flesh is balancing all the dishes to keep them from crashing down. Oh peace, where are you?! says almost every Christian ever. Perhaps that is why the book I Timothy in the New Testament records the words "fight the good fight of faith" (6:12). Indeed there is a fight and the only thing that determines that it is a good one is the faith we have in the Lord.

At Christmas time, it's exciting! For a brief moment in our hectic schedules, adult responsibilities, emotionally draining day-to-day bustle...we are almost forced to focus on Him. Our God become a baby. The King of kings, born humbly for a purpose. The Prince of Peace, Emmanuel. God with us.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

How do we access the peace of the Prince? To apply it to our daily lives, not just at Christmas? There is no fix-it pill or secret formula. And I can't say that I have all the answers or even feel this precious peace on a daily basis. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If the God of all creation has all power and can do all things, surely His peace is ready for us. If the Maker of the stars, of Heaven, is the same Jesus who raised the dead to life and healed the sick...then what do we have to fear? Why do we choose worry over peace?

If we feel powerless in our pursuit of peace, the problem is not the peace itself. It is a perfect, crafted gift from the Ultimate Gift Giver. His peace has no flaws. No blemish. Pure and white as a lamb. God's peace must be given the proper authority to fully operate in our hearts first, before it can make a difference to our lives. We must choose to shift our focus from our fears to our faith.

To be fearless is not saying we will never fear or worry, however it is knowing the One who eliminates the fear and brings perfect peace! We need to plug into His Word and talk to Him in prayer in order to access the antidote to this crazy thing we call life. Peace is like a battery; it needs to be recharged and refilled after a while. The curse of being human is the cares that surround us and the draining power that has over us but there was a baby boy long ago that changed history!

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

When Jesus became a baby, He could have been an emperor. But He wasn't. God could've been rich and not have parents. But He did have them and subjected Himself to their leadership. In order to obtain the victory, we have to be obedient to the higher spiritual authority. The Lord is kind, just, merciful and holy. He is The Everlasting Father. He is The Prince of Peace. He knows what we need so following His voice will bring our sheepish hearts safely home.

I personally will make it a point to tap into His perfect peace on a daily basis. Not just to calm my weary soul but to leave behind a legacy for the next generation. Peace is not a selfish gift but one that affects all those around us when we open it. A way to teach our children that this life can be hard but that's not the end of the story. It doesn't have to be the end of our story. That long ago God defined His peace and gave us full access to it. We hold the power in our choices. Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for Your perfect peace. Help us to understand how to fully access it every day so that we can accomplish Your will. Teach us to seek You first above all things and comfort our hearts during times of struggle. Revive our faith and remind us of who You are, so that we can praise You in every aspect of our lives. For You are worthy and You alone do we follow.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

How are you going to actively seek His peace this upcoming new year?