Peace

I received an email recently from a wise friend that ended with the close, "Peace". Usually what friends write is Stay well, Love, Sincerely, Regards, As ever or simply Bye now. But "peace" is really it, isn't it? That's the true goal of our lives, not health, not wealth, not glory or honors that fade. The email called to mind that I've been wanting to write something about peace. And what a time to do it. These days I brace myself when turning on the TV news. The whole world seems to be wallowing in war and rumors of war, rebellions, fnancial tribulations, unemployment, enviromental disasters, bizarre suicides, sensless murders, terrible betrayals, political crises and so on. It's hard to feel peaceful.

Saint Paul began his letters with the words "Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." Sometimes the wording was mixed a little but the meaning was absolutely clear. These were gifts from our Triune God of infinite value and they were and are FREE. No merit was or is involved. So can one have a horrible day at the office, in the school yard, at home in the nursery or in the deep valleys of shadows in Afghanistan and still be peaceful? The answer forever is "yes!" Can one be experiencing the worst kind of fear, disappointment, depression and trauma and still find peace? Yes, absolutely. That's why it's called Peace that passes understanding. "My peace I give to you" was Jesus' promise and His promises are true. I've witnessed Grace and Peace and experienced it, as the simplest of lay persons, and so can anyone reading this. In fact, many people may have witnessed and experienced Grace and Peace without even knowing it. When one comes to be aware of the gift, it's significance can still be shrouded. What it means is that nothing else, nothing, means anything and that the knowledge that everything will be all right engulfs you. God is in charge: it's His world, it was His before time and will be when time no longer matters. Why? He loves us and wants us to love Him. That's the "Good News." Think about it!

Bye now, and Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.