Where is Peace?

Where is Peace?

Bible: Jeremiah 8:8-15

Reading

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (ROMANS 5:1).

About 600 years before Jesus was born, some prophets (people who said that their words came from God) were predicting peace to God’s people. God’s actual prophet wasn’t one of them. Jeremiah reminded the people that God had said, “Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people” (JEREMIAH 7:23). Yet they repeatedly ignored Him and His commands. The false prophets said, “Peace, peace” (8:11), but Jeremiah predicted disaster. Jerusalem was invaded in 586 bc.

Peace is rare. But even in Jeremiah’s book of warnings we find a God who loves us, even in our mess. “I have loved you with an everlasting love,” He told His rebellious people. “I will build you up again” (31:3-4).

God is a God of love and peace. Fallings out and fights come from our own selfish instincts—our sin (JAMES 4:1-2). Our instinct to live just for ourselves steals any peace we might have with each other and with God. But Jesus came to this planet to bring us back to God and give us a new relationship with Him. He alone gives us peace. “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” wrote Paul (ROMANS 5:1).

Whether we have a calm or tense family home, and whether we have lots of friends at school or we feel picked on, as Christians we can have, and do have, peace with God. It is not peace that comes from everything going well in our lives, but peace that comes from knowing our God for ourselves.

GOD CAN’T GIVE US HAPPINESS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN FROM HIMSELF, BECAUSE IT IS NOT THERE.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries