WILL WE EVER HAVE PEACE ON EARTH?
We may blame conflict on external circumstances caused by others, but James said that war actually originates within each of our hearts. How long in human history did man exist before his first quarrel? Not long. Just long enough for two brothers to be born. Yet God saw the internal struggle within Cain, before he slew Abel.
God warned Cain saying, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it” (Gen. 4:6-7).
Sin still “crouches” at our heart’s door. Like a creature of the night, it lurks in the shadows waiting to attack and take control. It tempts us to strike out and war against others, when the real battle is actually within us.
After describing the origin of war and fighting, James went on to give its solution. He said, “You have not, because you ask not” (James 4:2). Rather than asking God for that which would bring peace, James says we “lust,” we “covet,” we “fight and war,” we even “murder.” Instead, we can ask God. He has already answered our deepest need when He gave us Christ Jesus. Only Christ can bring peace to our souls.
Will we ever have peace on earth? No. Not as long as even one heart is still at war within itself. So, let us ask the God of peace to rule our hearts. And let us share the gospel of peace to everyone we know. For only Christ can change the human heart and give us peace.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we pray for peace in our hearts, in our cities, in our nation and our world. Yet, we know that peace won’t come until every knee bows and every heart surrenders to Your Son, Jesus. Therefore, we ask for strength to proclaim Your gospel of peace and reconciliation all the more. Give us boldness to proclaim Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.