Saturday, August 18, 2018

Peacemakers

Photo by 广博 郝 on Unsplash

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called 
children of God. Matthew 3:9

 Blessed (loved and favored) by God are the peacemakers (ones who have received the peace of God in their hearts and who bring peace to others), for they will be called children (righteous worshippers) of God.

The heart of this verse is in the flow-through. Jesus is the peacemaker in our souls. Paul says that we were once God's enemies but, because of Jesus, now we are His children. 

What a remarkable transition, from a state of war to a relationship of true peace. 

Peace is God's most precious gift. It wells up in us and blesses us in times of joy and in times of despair. It is rich, deep, and everlasting; it is beyond our understanding. 

  • Peace when we are in chaos. 
  • Peace when we are surrounded by the love of friends and family.
  • Peace through sorrow or fear. 

It is a blessing that often draws others to God when they see peace in us during a difficult situation. 

Peacemakers. 
We are blessed with God's peace and we are blessed even more when His peace flows through us into the lives of those around us. Jesus describes the Spirit as a spring of overflowing water that flows up in us and through us.

And what blessings He gives us! We experience the joy of seeing people hug each other when there was only strife before, the relief when a misunderstanding is corrected, or the laughter as families who were once in conflict are now bound together in love.

We all yearn to be peacemakers but it's hard enough for me to keep peace with myself. I don't feel at all capable to be a peacemaker to others. And I can't, not unless I have God's strength to enable me. How does He transform me into a peacemaker?

Children of God
We are God's children! It's hard to imagine. But in this context, the word children doesn't describe us as the cherished children of our Father, although that is true. It describes those who have the freedom to worship God in righteousness. 

As God's children, we are righteous. Because of the blood of Christ, Our filthy garbs of sin are removed when we give our lives to Jesus, and we are clothed in His righteousness. What a supernatural miracle! He has transformed me from a repugnant sinner into His beloved child! Close your eyes and revel in the wonder of God's love.   

Righteous worship grows out of our love for God. It fills us with a sense of His presence. When we come before Him with an open heart, He works through His Word and the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of His Son.


The closer we are to Him, the louder we praise Him, the more we learn of Him, the more He transforms us and enables us to live out His character to those around us. 

Jesus is the truth, the life, and the way. The Holy Spirit teaches us to share the amazing news of Jesus as our Savior. Jesus is Light and, when we worship God, we become His light to the dark world. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and He enables us to become peacemakers. Through our worship, we begin to reflect the glory of God. 

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you and you will become a peacemaker!

Are you at peace with God? Has that peace overflowed to those around you?

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