Peaceنموونە

Peace I Give to You

If you think of the word ‘peace’, what comes to mind? For some it would be a beautiful sunset, others a day without stress, or time to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee while the kids play quietly.

But peace is more than that. The Hebrew word for peace is 'shalom’. It indicates not just a lack of strife and turmoil, but a completeness, a wholeness, a unity with and connection to God.

Peace becomes a state of mind, an attitude of the heart, something we are, as well as something we strive for.

The angels appeared to the shepherds, praising God and declaring ‘peace on earth’. Peace through Christ who had come. Peace that would come to us when we gave glory to God. Here is a call to the fullness, the wholeness of who we are in Christ. He calls to us to experience and be part of the peace He has left. His gift to us, just as He gave us the Holy Spirit, is one of whose fruits is peace.

We should seek the peace of God first, to the depths of our hearts and our minds, then turn to seek and make peace with others, bringing about an end to division, making unity happen, loving our neighbours. It isn’t an easy task. There will always be conflict. But we can seek the peace He has offered us by lifting our praise to Him, by giving Him the glory that is His and His alone.

Written by CHRIS PARFOOT