In a world full of conflict, Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
(I’ve been studying the attributes of God—one for each letter of the alphabet—and discovering how knowing God’s character makes a difference in my life. This week I’m on P.)
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
My hands gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly. Another red light. Late again. I rushed to get to work, but I was in no way eager to be there. An especially stressful day awaited me, and I knew when I parked my car and walked in the building, I would be on a collision course with calamity.
Then, hitting the button on the car radio, I heard the weather forecast. Oh, great. Rain.
But—even worse—after the soggy forecast came the political rhetoric. The Republicans said this. The Democrats did that. I hit the button on the dashboard to silence the squabbling.
I want something more, I thought.
But then I asked myself, More of what?
More peace.
I want peace.
Peace of mind. Deliverance from internal conflict, from the disquieting thoughts, from the voices in my head that tell me I’m inadequate to meet the challenges of the day. Escape from the fears invading my sleep at night and reminding me the world is a dangerous place.
Peace from social conflict. I want relationships that are free from arguments, strife, disagreements.
Peace on earth.
But we won’t find that kind of peace by changing jobs, taking a vacation, or voting new politicians into office.
Only Jesus, the Prince of Peace, brings real peace.
At the proper time, God will establish his kingdom, bringing real political peace on earth. Until then, he instructs us to pray for our governing authorities so we can live in peace.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-4 (ESV)
In the here and now, peace of mind is entirely possible. We can bring our problems and petitions to God, thank him for the answers to come, and allow his peace to stand guard. When we do this, we prevent anxious thoughts from invading our minds and destructive emotions from overwhelming our hearts.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7 ESV) And while we can’t prevent every argument of conflict, we can take responsibility for our own behavior.
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18 ESV)
Of course, that’s not easy. But we have God’s Holy Spirit living in us, and peace is the fruit of a spirit-filled life. When I remember to pray and ask God to fill me with his Spirit, I’ve experienced moments of inexplicable calm and serenity.
So as I drove to work that morning, I uttered a simple prayer: Fill me with your Spirit, Lord.
On the drive home, when my fingers hit the radio button, I remembered my morning prayer and realized my day wasn’t so bad after all.
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” II Thessalonians 3:16 ESV
