THE SEARCH for peace

“Glory to God in the highest,” angels proclaimed to shepherds on the first Christmas Eve, “and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14).

Although peace has been the goal of mankind for thousands of years—and the desire for peace is never so great as it is at Christmas—it seems that our ability to find or establish peace continues to elude us.

Today bloody hostilities continue. As Pete Seeger’s well-known folk song from the 1960s asked, “Where have all the flowers gone? … When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?”

True peace on every level, from international conflicts to our personal lives, has become more difficult than ever to achieve.

In the Bible, the word “peace” means much more than the absence of conflict. It carries with it the connotation of health and well-being. In the Old Testament, two Hebrew words, shalom (peace) and shalem (health or full), contained this concept of the word. Peace included inner (spiritual, emotional) peace, health, abundance, harmony with life on every level, even “in the midst of storm,” when life’s problems seem to snuff out any kind of peace.

In the New Testament, the word eirene in the original Greek means “peace,” both figurative and literal, and it is used over 100 times. For example, the expression “go in peace” means “stay warm and eat well” (James 2:16). On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

As in the Old Testament, peace means much more than the mere “absence of conflict” in society. It means a very real inner sense of well-being that originates with God and is given as a precious commodity to each of us who receive the “Prince of Peace,” Jesus, without whom there simply is no peace. This means peace for you personally, both in your own personal life and in your relations with others. The peace of God which passes all understanding is very real and practical. You can receive it today; there’s no need to wait for man’s fragile peace, which never lasts anyway.

Even when the world is in turmoil, you can have peace in your own heart through the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Even though war and chaos may be on the outside, you can get rid of it on the inside.

Jesus never sleeps! He watches all the time, along with all of His angels. He knows every hair of your head. Everything is in His hands. As the old hymn goes, “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the Rock [Jesus], that shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand.”

He is your peace. Your help comes from Him. In Him is your confidence. You must put your confidence in Him—the soundest base in the world—Jesus!

This Christmastime, Jesus offers to every soul on earth true peace, unfailing comfort, and eternal life and love. All of these are wrapped up in the priceless gift of salvation. 

Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast; There by His love o’ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest. —Frances J. Crosby (1820–1915)