"A Cross-Won Peace"
September 22, 2016
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Around 500 B.C. there was an Italian town called Sybaris.
Sybaris had a contingent of cavalry which was so proficient, so perfect, so powerful that everyone in the entire town knew they were secure. No expense was spared in making sure that the cavalry -- their first and best line of defense -- was always at a high state of readiness.
So well-trained were the horses of the mounted contingent that when music was played they pranced in place. I mean to tell you the people of Sybaris popped their buttons when those horses started prancing. They had every hope in the world that everything would continue on the way it was. There was only one problem.
The enemies of the city also knew about the horses that pranced in place.
When Sybaris went to war against the army of Croton, a city about 60 miles away, the army of Croton played some loud music, and the horses danced rather than fought. Sybaris was defeated and the city was lost: so much for peace of mind.
The same is true for us.
This is why, at least for many, peace seems to be something confined to stories which begin, "Once upon a time," and can only be found in a land far away, across some mystical sea.
If you doubt me, talk to the person who seems to have it made. Ask them, "Do you have peace?" and they'll say, "No. We've got money, but our health hasn't been the best" or "Our marriage is having some trouble" or, well, they'll say any number of things.
So, is there an answer?
There is.
And that answer says peace isn't a possibility; it isn't a probability; peace can be reality.
Amazingly, peace is possible because God loves us. Yes, I know it is fashionable to blame God for all of life's calamities, but nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is God has always wanted you to have peace. When He created this world, it was perfect. When He made our first ancestors, peace was everywhere.
But then we destroyed that peace. We destroyed it completely, totally and forever.
That is the way it would have been if God hadn't taken it upon Himself to fix things up. This He did by sending His Son to save us. Are you poor? He was poor, and had no home to call His own. Do you feel alone? Jesus was alone. His best friends left Him; one of them betrayed Him; another denied knowing Him. Do you feel life has been unfair? Jesus understands. He never did anything wrong, but He was still condemned to death.
Yes, Jesus understands all the things that rob you of peace. He understands because He suffered those things Himself. And He suffered those things for you -- so those who are given faith in Him might know that God's desire to give us eternal peace is alive and well.
THE PRAYER: Lord, grant me the peace that passes human understanding. May I know my Savior has won the victory which grants His followers the ultimate and eternal peace. In His Name. Amen.
