"A Day of Peace"

According to Resolution 55/282 the UN General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Peace in 1981, “devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.” In 2001, the Assembly decided that, beginning in 2002, the International Day of Peace would be observed on September 21st each year as a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence, an invitation to all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities throughout the day. Now, with that news I’m feeling very confident, aren’t you?

I do hope you know that I am writing that last statement tongue-in-cheek! There are many however who would not be so amused at such a statement. For example, R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of the University of Hawaii, has published a “World Peace Clock” which he has set at 8:15 PM, meaning that we are “well into the evening of the realization of world peace which will be achieved by the freedom of democracy.” His determination has been documented with pages of statistics indicating that when the world reaches a point where all nations are democratic in nature and government, war will cease to exist.

Well, I’m quickly running out of space in today’s devotional. Let me get to the heart of the matter. World peace is coming. There will be a time when war will cease on the earth. There will be a time when death itself will no longer loom over the world as a dark specter of the unknown. Fear and hopelessness will no longer have any place in our lives. All of this and much, much more will be the rule of the world. However, it will not be as a result of a resolution adopted by a body of national representatives; nor will it be ushered in by a governmental philosophy. It will be brought to pass by the sovereign Lord of the universe! When Jesus rules, there will be peace! This is the message of John:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:1-4 NIV).

Nothing short of the rule of God will bring peace to our world! And nothing short of the Second coming of Christ will accomplish that! As far as I can tell that hasn’t happened yet (again tongue-in-cheek), however, we do not need to wait for that day to have personal peace. Jesus has already accomplished the means for that to exist in our lives. Accept His gift of grace in your life today! Make it a real Day of Peace!