APRIL 2024
THE PROMISE OF GOD’S PEACE
The Bible is so full of the promises of God. One that I have been reminded about in recent times, and which we are so desperate for in this day and time is God’s Peace. Another word for it is Shalom. The Lord is Peace, Jehovah Shalom. If anyone is feeling pressure and challenges and traumtised, we ought to know this Lord who is Peace (See Judges 6 v 24).
The Lord’s Name characterises His Nature. He says in Isaiah 52 v 6 that He will reveal His name to His people and they will know His power. There is a peace that only Jesus gives, that the world does not give. John tells us that in the world we will have tribulations (John 16 v 33), but that Jesus has overcome the world. This implies that Jesus has the solution.
There is so much happening that is burdensome for all, including God’s children. These cause people to feel very burdened resulting in a lot of stress and anxiety for people. Unfortunately, some are going into depression and suicidal tendencies.
Jesus invites us in Mathew 11 v 28-30 to come to Him if we labour and are heavily laden. The solution He offers us is not that He will remove our labour but that He will give us rest in our soul. He does this by showing us how to do life with Him. He desires that we take on His yolk. Jesus was a carpenter so is describing the way oxen in those days were yolked together so they could accomplish stuff together. The yoke would be purposefully built to specification so it fits well and is comfortable for the oxen and won’t cause any pain or bruises as the oxen work together. So here Jesus is asking us to take His yolk that He has built specially for us, and do life His way and with Him. In this way, He will ensure there is no pain or bruising but rather we will feel rested and the burden will feel light. So we could be in the right place but the decisions we are making, actually go against what the Lord is prioritising in our lives at that point in time.
Jesus always intends for us to know Him intimately. Being yoked with Him will cause us to walk with Him, yield to His ways and follow closely where He leads. We were made for relationship with our maker. However this relationship has to be done on His terms, because He created us, and understands the frailty of our being.
Various things cause us to lose our peace. One that readily comes to mind, which we don’t often talk about is the expectations that we place on others. We always have to remember that man does fail, so we can’t rely fully on man. It’s only God that doesn’t fail. However, we expect certain behaviour or response or actions from certain people and sometimes they aren’t in a position to give it, or may not even be aware that it is the expectation. When we don’t get it, we then become disappointed and then sometimes slide into taking offence, and before you know it, the enemy has taken space in your heart, put bitterness and pushed out God’s peace that you had in you.
If we are yoked with Jesus, then He asks us to forgive those who do us wrong. Keeping malice or bitterness is never His way. Pursuing peace is what He calls us to do. He tells us in the Lords Prayer to forgive others when they sin against us, so that He can forgive us when we sin against Him.
The promise of God’s peace is not made to those who work and struggle in their own strength. It’s made to those who will sit and rest in Christ Jesus. We are to wait on Him and He will renew our strength. Waiting on Him implies a place of expectancy, where we are hoping in His goodness, spending time in His love, Word and Presence. Our whole being is trusting the One for whom we are waiting, for we can rest in the assurance of His love. We therefore can enter into His much desired rest and peace.
May the Lord bless us all.
Mina Bajomo
