Peace, I need you!

I woke up this morning to reports about a mass shooting at a church this morning and my heart sank. The idea that someone, a young person, would sit for an hour before opening fire on people gathered for prayer and bible study, completely tore my nerves up. I immediately started praying and asking God for help with understanding this type of sick hate and disrespect for His house and His people. And though I wanted to focus on the enemy’s actions, because let’s call it what it was, an attack of the enemy; God went in an entirely different direction. The scripture that immediately came to me was from the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9 NKJV) I was a bit confused because that’s not what I was thinking. What did being a peacemaker have to do with anything?  I wanted a plan of action. I wanted an explanation.  But He began to talk to me about being in His presence. He began to talk to me about peace. And I realized that in a tragic situation like this or some of the hard places that you may be facing in your life, the first thing you need is God’s peace.

Why did God speak that verse into my spirit when I asked Him for understanding? I believe He was saying something about how you respond to difficult situations in your life.  It would be so easy to stir people up for revenge and for answers. I mean, with all of the things happening in society today, emotions are on edge. But Jesus specifically taught that those that work to bring peace are God’s children. They are connected to Him in a special and meaningful way. How are you handling tragedy? How are you handling difficulty and hurt? Are you seeking to bring peace and reconciliation or are you stirring up confusion and causing discord? The Message translation of this verse says, “You are blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.” (Matt. 5:9)  Isn’t that powerful? God wants His people to be ones that bring light and peace where there is nothing but darkness and confusion. Today, some peacemakers are needed.

I almost laughed when God showed me the other scripture to share with you. It just showed me how much higher God’s thoughts and ways are above mine. Again, I was coming from a whole other direction and God was still speaking peace. He led me to Psalm 4 and specifically verse 8. This is one of David’s psalms and he’s talking to his son Absalom and basically admonishing him about the pointlessness of attacking one of God’s servants and calls for them to repent. David says all this because he is confident in who God is. “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” (Ps. 4:8 NLT) This seemed an odd scripture to use in light of the situation that happened last night and I said that out loud to God. He answered by telling me to read the verse again. Then I realized that He was giving the peace that I desired so much in this situation. He was letting me know that those people, though attacked, were with Him. They were in His presence at the end of their lives, praying to Him, reading His word. They were truly in the best place that they could have been. And though I am sure that they were afraid, they were surrounded by a God that has a plan and they immediately went from this earthly place to His presence; for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  I wonder if you can say that you trust God so much that you can lie down and sleep knowing that He has you and your situation. I wonder if you can look to Him when things aren’t going the way you would like and know that He is watching out for you. You see, even in tragedy, the Lord is present and His word doesn’t change. Today, some peace is needed.

As I close out, I pray that God’s peace rises up in you today and surpasses all understanding. You see, God has a way that is mighty sweet and He can do for you what nothing else can. Don’t allow anger and fear to govern your life today, instead let peace and comfort reign. The enemy is not allowed to win in your situation because God is already victorious. “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13 NLT)

Amen.