God must be weeping these days as He looks at His earth. He did it before. Luke records, “and when He was coming near, He beheld the city, and wept over it.” (19:41)
I think God weeps again as the bombs fall. I think God weeps as women are raped. I think God weeps with the little child whose parents are torn away by war and death. Watching the news the other day brought all these pictures before us and if we could have peered into heaven we would have seen God weep.
We wonder how man made in the image of God, could do such horrible acts against one another. Why do we fight and kill? Why do ancient hatreds last so long? Why do we sometimes act worse than the animal creatures?
James posed that question. He asked, “Where do wars and strife come from? Why do we hurt and fight and kill?” And his answer may be surprising to us. He said we are at war with each other because we are at war with God. We are even at war within ourselves because we are at war with God. He called us “the enemy of God” (James 4:1-4).
This is the testimony of the scripture. Our sin has alienated us from our creator God. We needed to be reconciled. So Jesus came. As He hung upon the cross He brought a holy God and a sinful human race together. He accomplished reconciliation. He made peace through the blood of the cross. (Col. 1:20)
Paul wrote, “therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Peace in the world is possible only when we as individuals make our peace with God. What happened at the cross needs to be personalized in our lives.
Before we are forgiven the Bible says of us, “the way of peace have they not known.” (Romans 3:17) “The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57: 20, 21) What a clear picture of our world. Tossed and torn by division and strife.
But all that can change and we can be at peace with God. But there is even more. We can have the peace of God. We can experience rest in our hearts. We can be at peace with each other. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.” (John 14:27)
Paul wrote the Philippians to encourage them to pray about their needs and promised, “the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7) Yes, there is an answer to turmoil in the world. There is a way to dry the tears of God. The way is Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace. Receive His love and forgiveness. Walk in His ways. When you are at peace with Him you will be at peace with yourself and with others.
As He stood in the midst of the storm and cried out “Peace, be still”, He is available to enter the storm of your life and give you peace.
Listen to His invitation – “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (peace).” (Matthew 11:28)
