JESUS, OUR PEACE
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Luke 2:14 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
I grew up with the Christmas story from the King James Version of the Bible. In that translation the verse reads, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” As we would read this part of the Christmas story, we would assume that Jesus was born to bring world peace and good will for everyone. But that is a bad translation of the original Greek. The peace Jesus came to bring was not a world peace that stops all wars, suffering, and injustice. That would require a massive army of individuals who were great warriors but also honest, humble, and servants to others. We will only see that kind of army when Jesus returns to earth to establish His 1000 year reign on earth. The peace Jesus has come to bring was a peace that would be in the lives of those who have committed their lives to be followers of Christ. God is pleased with those of us who by faith acknowledge Jesus as Savior and Lord. God’s pleasure on our lives releases God’s peace into our lives. We might live in a world full of anger, fighting, bitterness, injustice, and hatred. But we can be at peace because the Prince of Peace is living in us and guiding our lives. When Jesus is living in us, we have a peace that passes all understanding. When Jesus was on the earth, He brought wholeness to people and told them to “go in peace.” Their personal encounter with Jesus brought peace into their world. But they were still living in a country controlled by a foreign government. Much of their circumstances of life did not change. But they were changed on the inside and that brought peace.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit I want to know the peace of God in my life. I want to be a person of peace.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”