“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9
Peace; will you and I ever see a time when there is peace in this world? Peace within our State? Peace within our Synod? Peace at our place of work? Peace on college campuses? Peace within our family? There will never be any peace on earth until we sinful humans have made peace with our Triune God.
Our sinful world will never, ever be a dwelling place of peace until peace finds a place in the heart of every sinful man and woman. How many countries are now experiencing war within their borders? How many countries have our troops within their borders to help establish peace? How many months have gangs brought chaos into Haiti? There is a saying “war does not determine who is right, only who is left.”
Back in the day, while living in Haiti, a convoy of United Nations MINUSTAH troops made me feel somewhat at peace, as their presence brought a sense of order to a country where there was none. Haitian friends told me that they wanted the UN to leave Haiti…but it seemed like there was a lot less trouble with them within the Haitian borders. Today, there are quite a few Haitians who welcome the idea of bringing someone back to restore order in their country. A Transitional Council in Haiti, with 9 members, has been formed and seems to be taking steps to begin the process to bring peace. They were formally installed last week and two days ago they named an interim President and prime minister. One of the members is a Christian pastor; please pray for Pastor Frinel Joseph.
Peace in our country and peace among other nations will never come as long as sinful human beings continue to seek peace on our own terms; as long as we continue to cling to the things within us that make wars inevitable.
We live in a troubled time. The man carrying all of his belongings in the attached photo is walking next to a tent village near the Port-au-Prince airport that had been there for over a year following the earthquake in 2010. It must have been over 90 degrees on this late morning, very hot in those tents, no electricity, perhaps a meal each day, no running water…a life style that would not set well with North America. Peace in that tent city was being strained daily, as tempers of the inhabitants flared as nothing seemed to be improving…the world is once again turning away from Haiti as other hotspots around our world grab the headlines.
Children attending Christian schools are taught about peace from our Heavenly Father. Peace is God’s gift and there is no way that we can manufacture it, copy it, teach others about it or force it upon another person. It’s God’s gift. Thank you for bringing peace to the life of one child in Haiti who thinks about you at meal time, and offers thanks to God for you and your gift.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay