The Promise of Peace

SCRIPTURE

Micah 4:1-5 (NRSV)
A promise of peace

In days to come
the mountain of the Lord's house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised up above the hills.
Peoples shall stream to it,
and many nations shall come and say:
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths."
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more;
but they shall all sit under their own vines
and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid;
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

For all the peoples walk,
each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
forever and ever.


DEVOTION

Yesterday’s devotion was entitled “Be at Peace.” In it, Spirit led me to invite us to extend the peace and good will of the CHRISTmas season to someone that we had been “at war” with.

This is a very personal decision. It takes a lot of courage, humility, and conviction to go to a beloved brother and sister and confess our wrong and seek their forgiveness.

But today’s scripture goes one step further! Isaiah prophesies about a day when all of humanity will be at peace with one another because God’s Kingdom will come on earth as it is in Heaven.

On that day God will “teach us his ways that we may walk in his paths.” God will also cause us to “beat our swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

This vision seems so far away as to seem impossible. As human beings tear ourselves asunder through war, civil war, ethnic cleansing, and genocides of every kind, we have every reason to find it hard to imagine a day when there will be “peace on earth and good will toward all people!”

But that day is a-coming, friends!

Because God sent LOVE into the world one CHRISTmas morn, we have the blessed assurance, and certain hope, that one day all things will be fulfilled and we will be at total peace with one another.

Because JESUS lived and died and lived again to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life, we know that there is no-thing that is too hard for our God.

I’m so excited about CHRISTmas ya’ll in these waning days of Advent! What a joy it is to celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace, the Lord of Lords, and the Great I Am.


Let us pray:

Holy God, thank you that you are the ultimate peace-maker. I acknowledge that only you are able to usher in the reign of peace on Earth as it is in Heaven. Please help me to cooperate fully with your peace and goodwill plan. Please forgive me for those times that I have sown seed of division, hatred, and war and please fill me up with the Holy Spirit so that I can share your love, joy, peace, and good will now and forever. I love you and I want to share our love with others. I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.


THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html