The Blessing of Peace
Leviticus 26:6 I will give peace to your country. You will lie down in peace. No one will come to make you afraid. I will keep harmful animals out of your country. And armies will not come through your country.
Today is Armistice Day, when we turn our hearts and minds toward the commemoration of the end of World War I. At the time, it was said to be the war to end all wars. But things haven’t quite turned out that way.
Over 20 million people died in WWI. Staggering though that is, since then, according to official figures, there have been at least another 230 wars, including World War II, with a total loss of life exceeding 70 million. And let’s be honest, it’s likely much higher than that.
Anyone who’s been traumatised by war, as my parents were, or lived with someone who’s never recovered, will know the tremendous pain that ripples on well beyond the end of conflict.
Though I too was a soldier, I’ve never faced war, so it’s easy to take peace for granted. We should never do that, because peace is one of the greatest blessings we can ever receive from the hand of God. This is what He said to the Israelites around two and a half thousand years ago:
Leviticus 26:6 I will give peace to your country. You will lie down in peace. No one will come to make you afraid. I will keep harmful animals out of your country. And armies will not come through your country.
But that peace was promised as a blessing to them if they obeyed Him. They didn’t. They strayed far from Him, and war’s been upon them pretty much ever since.
I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but I know this. Whatever conflict you may be facing, God wants you to experience the blessing of His peace. Honour Him.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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