Longing For Peace?

Yesterday was a beautiful day in my part of  South Carolina. I was relaxing on my screen porch. swinging in my hammock, watching the daytime moon rise over the distant shore, and listening to the wind and the birds in the trees, when a feeling of peace came upon me. I was thankful to God for allowing me this moment of peace, a peace that many have not been able to experience this week as riots rolled through many of our cities every night.

In times of unrest, it seems that the voices that incite violence will always drown out (especially on our television screens) the voices of moderation, deliberation, and peace.

As our preacher pointed out during his Sunday sermon, those who are the angriest, those who incite violence, and those who get caught up and perpetrate crimes rather than engaging in peaceful protests, are in desperate need of Jesus.

When those who do put their trust in the Lord are hurt, angry, mistreated, or feeling downtrodden, we find comfort not in violence, but in the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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." Philippians 4: 4-7 

The strength of a wronged people is not demonstrated by torching police cars or by looting innocent shop keepers. A nation's rue strength is shown when its people humble themselves, when they get on their knees, and pray together in the name of the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, for peace, and when they go out and teach the way of Jesus to those in our society who do not appear to know Him.

We have quite a struggle ahead of us.