Peacemakers--the ones without whom this world and your world can be destroyed, literally.
There are two kinds of peace--lack of wars and lack of personal warfare with friends and family. This week it's about wars. In two weeks I'll concentrate on personal warfare.
Several years ago, our pastor asked those who were interested to meet at the church and pray for peace at a certain time on a certain day of the week. I have to admit I was one prayed for peace. And yet, war broke out.
Driving along in my car is one of my best prayer places. While driving I talked to God about how much I wanted peace, I kept getting the same response, a question, four words, time after time: "Peace at any cost?"
During World War II, I'm sure there were millions praying for peace. I'm also pretty sure that most wouldn't have wanted peace at the cost of thousands or millions more Jews being executed simply because they were Jews. When peace was finally negotiated, it came with the stipulation that the Jews imprisoned would be released and free from further persecution.
The peacemakers aren't just the ones who sit down at a table to sign the papers. It's also the ones who provided the ideas, who wrote up the papers, who prayed, and yes, also the ones who fought, and even those who lost their lives in the process.
War is horrific. I don't care who is fighting, it leaves sweethearts, children, and parents dead. Perhaps the only justifiable war would be one that has to be waged in order to provide true peace.
Prayer: God, please bless those who fight for peace. Thank You, Lord, for those who pray for peace. Thank You, Lord, for those who with the negotiating skills. Thank You, God, for the ultimate Peacemaker, Jesus, the only One who's ever been able to grant lasting peace, the peace that passes understanding.
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