(Finding that peace that passes understanding as promised by Jesus)
Wondering Guru
Have
you ever wondered the quantum of tragedies, suffering and pain humanity has
ever suffered? Definitely it will be an uphill task to gather the exact
statistics. Since the time of Genesis
the day Cain killed his brother Abel it has been a story of series of tragedies.
Tears never stopped rolling down the cheeks of the human beings and I guess
also from the eyes of the other living creatures. Individuals, families,
societies, tribes, kingdoms, nations and civilizations have all gone through
untold and unimaginable fear, suffering, pain and death. Someone made a study
of these tragedies and humanity’s attempt to seek peace in the past recorded human
history. Humanity can trace back its recorded history upto 3600 years. The
writer says that in the past 3600 years humanity had only 286 years of peace.
In 3600 years man fought 14,000 wars and killed 3.6 billion people. In an
attempt to contain wars around 8000 peace treaties were made, and all of them
have been broken in one way or another. At social and national level peace has eluded us for
the past 3600 years. This is primarily because man depended on his own efforts.
People think government can give us peace.
Infact it just the opposite.
Politicians create situations of tragedies and people end up dying. So
politicians giving us peace is a misnomer. May be Jesus knew that man cannot
give the world the true peace. Therefore He said: "Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your
hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) Peace is a major
theme in the Bible. One writer says that it appears more than 80 times in the
Bible. In the Bible peace means Shalom.
Shalom is translated as wholeness,
completeness, good health, security and even prosperity. So it is much more
than an absence of war an understanding of peace given to us by the
politicians.
Shalom means despite tragedies there is
always joy. Remember the God's word "The Joy of the Lord is my
strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Remember St. Paul’s
words ‘Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). Paul was in prison (tragedy) when he wrote
that letter. How can someone speak of
joy in prison? Paul knew the meaning of shalom. Remember the famous
man of all tragedies Mr. Job? Four
servants come and narrate to him stories of tragedy one after another. Inspite
of total loss he kneels and worships God saying “We bring nothing at birth; we take nothing
with
us at death. The Lord alone
gives and takes. Praise the name of the Lord!”
(Job 1:13-22). Job knew the meaning of Shalom.
Remember
the mother of the seven sons in 2 Maccabees7? Antiochus the tyrant killed six of
her sons and now he is about to kill her last son. Inspite of losing six sons and gone through
the excruciating pain of their deaths yet she is requesting her last son her
only hope to remain faithful and to die an honorable death. How is it possible
for a mother to witness the death of her seven sons and yet be peaceful? Do you remember those famous names in the
OT Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel3) who fearlessly told King
Nebuchadnezzar that they weren’t going to bow before his false God? How can
someone with such confidence oppose an emperor (who has all the authority to
kill) in the face of death? Do you remember what Peter did before his
martyrdom? King
Herod had already killed the Apostle James & everyone knew it was the night
of Peter’s martyrdom. That night Peter was chained between two guards. Peter
was found asleep." Now how many prisoners do you suppose sleep well the
night before their execution? Peter knew the Lord. Peter understood the meaning
of shalom. Psalm 46:10 says ‘be still and know that I am Lord”. “Peace I leave with
you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let
your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Paul and Peter’s hearts were not troubled because
they knew the Lord. They remembered the words of their Master. “Come to me all you
who are weary and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
When Jesus says He
gives peace and rest in a world of tragedies two beautiful and meaningful
paintings come to my mind which I had seen online some time back. There
is this painting of the devastation; most probably due to earthquake. The
picture depicted fallen buildings, blazing fire and thick smoke emanating in
the background, people injured on the ground and some dead bodies lying
around. But there, right in the middle
of that gruesome picture, was a mom holding her baby in her arms. The innocent
little face was blissfully sleeping, unaware of the earthquake and the fear and
suffering. The child’s face looked unbelievably peaceful. In the midst of all
that trouble, there was peace. That’s the type of peace Jesus promises. The other painting was entitled “Peace.” It depicted huge waves
hitting the rocks in a thunderous applause. The weather was painted very stormy
and the waves crashing on the shore and hitting the rocks looked so perilous.
It seems anything but peaceful. But the
artist painted in a small corner of the painting, tucked away in the rocks, a
little bird sitting on her nest, totally oblivious to the raging storm. That’s the type of peace
Jesus promises. God's
peace is based on relationship with Him. Political peace is heavily depended on
international trade and military. People
in the world walk by sight. Followers of Christ walk by faith in the Master
Jesus Christ who has the power to calm down any type of storms in our lives.
Have you or your family experienced any
tragedies? How did you react to your tragedies? Were you in search of peace
that passes understanding? Were you like where can I/We find peace in my/our life/lives?
Are the tragedies in the world giving you sleepless nights? What is it that troubles
you? What is it that makes you worry? Is the uncertain future troubling you? Is
sickness, fear of death, unemployment, family fights, divorce, jealousy and
envy robbing your peace? Bruce Allen says ‘Tragedy
comes into every life. The details vary, but the experience does not’. The
famous columnist advice Guru Ann Landers it
seems used to receive roughly 10,000 letters a month from people seeking
advice. When asked what seems to be the most common topic, she said FEAR.
People are afraid of losing their health, job, family, afraid of upsetting
their neighbor, alienating a friend, or committing a social faux pas.
Seeking for Peace does not mean there
won’t be pain and suffering and death.
Even when a baby is born there is certain amount of pain during
pregnancy and violence to the mother’s body during delivery. Peace is not the absence of trouble in this
world. It’s the presence of Christ. It’s believing that Jesus is with us
always, all time and every time. He is our strength when we feel weak. He is
our refuge in times of storms and our wisdom in times of confusion and our
courage in face of fear. He is our hope
in moments of death and dying. Peace is having the sure hope of eternal life.
Peace is believing that “whoever lives and believes in Jesus will never die”
(Jn 11:26) Kevin
Parkins writes ‘Peace is not an academic, social,
economic, physical achievement, simple enough- a gift, nothing you can do to
earn, deserve or demand. Albeit, a gift that you must accept’. Helen
Keller said as reported by Denn Guptill, "I do not want the peace which
passes understanding; I want the understanding which brings peace."
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