Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace

“Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another.” Romans 14: 19

Peace.

At this point in our culture not much more than a buzz word on the TV news. Something perhaps still hoped for but considered unattainable. Jews vs. Palestinians. Catholics vs. Protestants. Republicans vs. Democrats. Terrorists vs. Everyone. Kids shooting other kids at school, murders in our cities, violence, rape, muggings, hurtful words, bullying. The lack of peace doesn’t seem to end and it seems to begin at a hundred different points.

But is this even the peace that Jesus was speaking of? Or was He speaking of something deeper and more intimate? Perhaps the most difficult, but important place to find peace is in our own hearts? We can’t give what we don’t have. If we are to ever experience peace in the world, then we each have to begin to experience peace in our own hearts first.

And where does this peace come from? Certainly not from our own efforts. Not from acquiring as much stuff and money as possible. Not in being as safe as possible. No, it can only come from a deep, intimate and abiding relationship with Jesus. And only when we have this will we be capable of bringing peace to others. Only with His peace in our hearts will we be able to build others up and be instruments of this peace in our world.

How do we accomplish this? Prayer. Conversation with God. Talking and listening and spending time with Him. The more we do this the more we will become stable, peaceful islands of hope in our chaotic and violent world.

Dear Jesus, please help me to know You and to abide in Your love and peace so that I may become an instrument of Your peace in the world. Amen.