Christmas Day 2025

Posted on by korgrocker

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
Isaiah 9:6-7 NIVUK

When we pilgrims celebrate Christmas, we are celebrating far more than a holiday, tradition, or season. Christmas is the story of God fulfilling His promises, drawing near to His people, and sending the Saviour the world had been longing for. It is a time to slow down, open the Scriptures, and let the Word of God remind us why the birth of Jesus matters so deeply. Christmas is rooted not in sentiment, tinsel, turkey and trivia, but in Scripture—God’s living testimony of His love. Long before the manger, God promised that a Saviour would come. For believers everywhere, Christmas is the fulfilment of these ancient prophecies. Isaiah declared, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Centuries later, Matthew quoted this verse when he wrote, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet” (Matthew 1:22). This is why Christians celebrate Christmas with such awe: it is a divine reminder that God is faithful. Every detail of Jesus’ birth echoes God’s promise-keeping nature.

“Immanuel, God with us”

At the heart of Christmas is the name Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Matthew writes, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23). This truth is central to Christian faith: God did not remain distant. He came close. The Gospel of John describes this mystery with breathtaking words: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (John 1:14). The God who created the universe stepped into time, wrapped Himself in humanity, and lived among His people. For us pilgrims, Christmas means that God understands our struggles, walks beside us, and never leaves us alone.

The Saviour Has Come

Christmas is the celebration of the Saviour’s arrival. The angel told Joseph, “You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus’ very name means “The Lord saves.” Christians believe that the manger points toward the cross. From the moment of His birth, Jesus came with a mission: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). The birth of Christ is God’s announcement of salvation, not just for a nation, but for the whole world. The angels proclaimed this good news to the shepherds: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people… a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10 11). This is the heart of Christmas joy: salvation has come, wrapped not in royal garments but in swaddling clothes.

Light in the Darkness

We see Christmas as the arrival of God’s light into a dark world. Isaiah foretold, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus later confirmed this prophetic promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). For believers facing discouragement, grief, or uncertainty, Christmas proclaims hope. The Light has come, and “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

Peace on Earth

One of the most cherished themes of Christmas is peace—God’s peace offered to humanity through Jesus. When the angels announced Jesus’ birth, they praised God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests” (Luke 2:14). This peace is not temporary or shallow. It is the peace Jesus promised His followers: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives” (John 14:27). For us, Christmas renews the promise of a peace that anchors the heart in every season of life.

A Call to Worship

Every figure in the Christmas story responds to Jesus with worship. The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem, where “they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” (Luke 2:16). Then “the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20). The wise men traveled from afar asking, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). When they found Jesus, “they bowed down and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11). Christians today join in that same worship—lifting their voices, their hearts, and their lives in adoration of the newborn King.

Christmas shapes how Christians live. Scripture calls believers to reflect the heart of Christ: “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). The generosity, humility, and compassion seen in Jesus’ birth become daily invitations to walk in His footsteps.

Because God came near, we draw near to others.
Because Christ brought light, we shine that light.
Because the Saviour came, we share His good news

For Christians, the meaning of Christmas is summed up in one verse: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). Christmas is God’s love in action—His promise fulfilled, His presence revealed, His salvation offered, His light shining, His peace given. It is the story of a God who came near so that we could come home.

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank You for coming to this world, and we celebrate Your coming today, this Christmas Day. We pray for our friends and families today that the real meaning of Christmas will penetrate through the day’s distractions. In Your precious name. Amen.

Deliverance

Posted on by korgrocker

“Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.”
Psalm 3:7-8 NIVUK

The language that David used in these verses today makes us recoil in a fog of discomfort, knowing that as pilgrims we should be reaching out in love, not hate, loving our enemies as Jesus taught. But here was the psalmist, David, expressing to God what he thought God should do with his enemies. We think that sentiments such as breaking our enemies’ teeth can’t be a valid position, or expectation, for a God-fearing believer. There will be many who will dismiss such thoughts and put them down to a less sophisticated people living in violent times. Others will perhaps be more charitable and sympathise with David, faced with trying to protect his people from nasty neighbouring nations. But then perhaps we should pause and think about ourselves and our own reactions to the behaviour of people who we encounter day by day. The motorist who does something stupid and nearly causes us to have an accident. The objectional person in the office who bullies and belittles the more timid members of the team. The keyboard warriors who pollute the comments section of a social media post with their vitriol and hatred. The list of disagreeable people is seemingly endless, but, be honest now, do we just shrug our shoulders extending a mental “Bless you brother”, or do we too, like David, ask God to do something significant with them, to teach them the error of their ways?

David wanted terrible things to happen to his enemies, and he asked God to be the instrument administering his judgement, but he also asked for deliverance. And that is a prayer I think we should emulate. When our thoughts rise up in frustration and anger against the less considerate members of our society, we can of course pray for justice to be dispensed, teaching them a lesson, but it is better to pray that we should be delivered from the negative thoughts and even possible actions that boil over in our minds. “Deliver me, my God” is a good prayer to pray when faced with the events that seem to crop up with depressing frequency. 

Another thought that springs up is about the impact that negative and angry feelings can have on our spiritual and even physical well-being. Resentment and unforgiveness can have a devastating effect on our souls. And, of course, the person causing us so much distress will be unaware of the effect that their behaviour has on the lives of others. We might like them to drink a potion of hemlock as a punishment, but the impact of the poison is on us not them, as the anger and thoughts of immediate judgement eat away at our souls. We end up going down the tubes of depression and illness, facing a long climb back to emotional equilibrium. So we pray, like David, for deliverance. And our loving Heavenly Father will indeed pour out His blessings upon us, and deliver us from the evil that would otherwise beset us.

Dear Lord God. You are our Deliverer, the Keeper and the Provider of peace and healing for our wounded souls. Amen.

Fear

Posted on by korgrocker

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.”
Psalm 3:5-6 NIVUK

What are we afraid of? David lived in a politically unstable world and there were always enemies of the Jews present in the surrounding nations, looking for an opportunity to destroy them. And he, as the king of Israel, felt the pressure of needing to be ready. But in spite of all of that, David was able to sleep, safe and sound, because “the Lord was watching over [him]”. But back to us pilgrims. In the UK we live in a more politically stable environment, without the overt threat of aggressive and hostile nations willing and able to invade our island and do us harm. However, warfare is different today, with cyber attacks and the threat of a nuclear strike. And as we look back through history, warfare has never been far away from our shores. We are also aware that living in 21st Century societies is fraught with all sorts of “enemies” that impact our ways of life, and we can quickly tumble into a world of “what if’s” ranging from health care through to job security and financial sufficiency. There is much fear and stress around today. Our immediate enemies might be different to David’s but they are still real and can have a marked effect on our future. 

In a sense, we have little to fear because God is with us. I am writing these thoughts this morning, and you might be reading what I have written in a day or two. Like David, we woke up this morning after a night’s sleep. Recently, I said to a man I met during my prayer walk that it was a good morning. The sun was shining and for once it wasn’t raining here in Scotland, but his response was, “All mornings are good if you wake up”. And that is true in a world fearful and lost, but we pilgrims cannot lose. If God sustains us for another day, we still have work to do for His kingdom here on earth. If He doesn’t then we will wake up in His presence. Win-win. 

The go-to Psalm for me is 121. “He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep“. The Psalmist continues, “The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and for evermore”. Do we believe that or do these words just give us a momentary warm feeling that quickly dissipates in the chill winds of adversity that swamp our souls, as another night time worry raises its head and disturbs our rest? Fellow pilgrims, our Lord and God is constantly with us and we believe that whatever He says is what He does. I cannot count the many occasions when He has been there for me in times of anxiety and stress, and I’m sure that is the same for you as well. Trusting in God will not necessarily remove the enemies around us (although sometimes He will), whatever they are, but it will mean we can sleep at night in the knowledge that He is looking out for us, and will give us the strength and wisdom we need.

Dear Father God. Thank You that You are with us, every minute of every day. Amen.

Peace and Forgiveness

Posted on by korgrocker

“Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.””
John 20:21-23 NLT

Once again Jesus said “Peace be with you”. In a world that had seen the disciples’ bumpy ride following Jesus in His ministry, the chaos was continuing in their souls. They had seen the miracles, the dead raised, Jesus walking on water. They had received training for the future in Jesus’ University of Kingdom Life. They had experienced the abuse from the Jewish leaders. They had even gone out themselves, healing the sick and preaching the good news about the Kingdom of God. And now, following a couple of days of grieving for their crucified Leader, entombed and graveyard dead, He was now standing with them, alive and well, in a locked room. And He said “Peace …”. They needed a shed load of that, for sure.

Jesus then said to them, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” The disciples commissioned, sent out to continue Jesus’ mission. The handing on of the Kingdom baton, charged with the message of hope for an otherwise dying race of people. Then Jesus breathed on them. This wasn’t just a febrile puff. It was a full throated blast of air from the bottom of Jesus’ lungs, emulating what was to come on the Day of Pentecost, where the disciples would indeed “Receive the Holy Spirit”. The connection was that on their own, and in their own strength, they would be unable to carry out their mission. They would need the Holy Spirit without doubt, empowering them and working through them each and every day. 

Jesus continued, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven”. Does that mean that Jesus was giving the disciples the authority to forgive sins? That can’t be true of course, because only God can forgive sins. There seems to be a problem with the translation, according to Greek scholars, and a better translation might be, “If sins have already been forgiven, then they are forgiven. If they have already been retained then they are not forgiven”. Perhaps another of the Bible’s foibles that needs further scrutiny, which is why we need to read the Scriptures often and in depth, prayerfully asking God to reveal the meaning of His Word.

Peace and forgiveness are both features of God’s Kingdom living. We pilgrims can experience both on our journey to Glory.

Dear Father God. Living in Your Kingdom here on earth provides a foretaste of what is to come, and we are so grateful. Amen.

Peace Be With You

Posted on by korgrocker

“That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!”
John 20:19-20 NLT

The eleven remaining disciples had called a meeting, and to make sure they were not disturbed, they locked the doors. In those days door locks were very basic and may have consisted of little more than a wooden bolt. Doors were ubiquitous though and the disciples took steps to prevent unauthorised people from entering. John recorded that they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, with good reason because they were now on a roll and would do anything to stamp out Jesus’ influence on Jewish religious society. But I wonder what the disciples were discussing? Obviously, the report from Mary Magdalene would have been at the top of the agenda, and they must have discussed how valid and reliable her feedback was because women were not exactly well considered in those days. They would also have been discussing what to do next, now that their Leader and Master, Jesus, was no longer with them. But then, Jesus suddenly appeared. John’s language in his account was very factual and unemotional, but to be sitting or standing around in a group, and then to suddenly see a person appear before them, must have been a significant and even fearful situation. “Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them!”. This was no gradual “beam me up” moment, with a figure gradually appearing before them. It all happened suddenly, and the first words that Jesus spoke were, “Peace be with you”. The disciples were a superstitious lot, and they were already in an advanced state of fear, hence the locked door. So Jesus’ greeting about peace would have gone some way to allaying their nervous states, and after He had showed them His crucifixion wounds we read that “They were filled with joy”. Of course they were! What else could they be? But the initial joy would have been accompanied by the thought that something was happening here far beyond their experience and understanding. People just do not walk through locked doors. As an aside, if Jesus was able to pass through locked doors, then He would have been able to exit the tomb without removing the stone, which must therefore have been rolled away for the benefit of the disciples, so that they could see it was empty. 

Sometimes people lock the door to their hearts, for a number of reasons including previous hurts and disappointments. They put up a barrier to prevent more pain in the future and that applies to their contact with God as well. Perhaps they had a bad experience in a Sunday school as a child. Or a church experience turned sour and they left, never to return. But in Revelation 3:20 we read, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends“. A poignant invitation from Jesus to everyone, including us pilgrims. We must be sensitive to hear Jesus’ knock at the door of our hearts. Once allowed in, He will bring His message, “Peace be with you”, and our troubled thoughts and situations will take on a different perspective in His presence. 

We also remember that Jesus said He was the door. John 10:7, 9, “So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. … I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture”. Jesus’ door is never locked and all can enter into eternal life if they believe in Him. 

Dear Lord Jesus. You are the Way into Your Father’s presence. There is no other way – please help us to communicate with those who have chosen the wrong way, so that they too can find the Door. Amen.

The Olive Grove

Posted on by korgrocker

“After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples.”
John 18:1-2 NLT

In Luke’s Gospel, we read, “Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives” (Luke 22:39). The Mount of Olives was close to Jerusalem, and it was there that Jesus and His disciples spent time together, enjoying the cool of the evening after what was probably a hot day. It was a sanctuary of peace for them, peace in turbulent times where they faced into the antagonism of the Jewish religious leaders. A place of prayer and sharing, a place where the disciples could relax with their Teacher and their Lord. A place where spiritual batteries were recharged for anything to be faced the next day. A grove of olive trees became a place of sanctuary.

The word “sanctuary” first appeared in the Old Testament and it was a place where God dwelt with His people. Exodus 25:8, “Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them”. A sanctuary in Old Testament times became the Tabernacle and later the Temple. Moving into New Testament times, church buildings emerged and here in the UK the landscape is scattered with hundreds, if not thousands, of beautiful, but mostly totally impractical, buildings, sanctuaries that have become monuments to past moves of God. But even today, there is something special about sitting in a pew in a church building, surrounded with light streaming through stained glass windows, looking at an altar where we hope that God will reveal His presence and grant us peace in our time of need.

We pilgrims need a sanctuary, where we too can sit at the Master’s feet in our own personal Olive Grove. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29, “ … Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls“.  The Psalmist David found his sanctuary in God. He wrote these verses from Psalm 62, “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken“. 

Personally, I find my sanctuary amongst the natural world around me, where I can see and hear God’s creation, splendid and unique. Every bird that sings and every flower that has burst into life provides a backdrop to where I find God’s peace and presence, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard [my] heart and [my] mind in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). And from my spiritual olive grove I find once again the place of rest, a sanctuary for my soul. Where, dear fellow pilgrim, is your “Olive Grove”? Somewhere where the heavy burdens of life in this mad and bad world can be left at the Master’s feet? God always wants to meet with us. He is always accessible. And there is a place where Heaven touches earth, right where we can find it. It may be an “Olive Grove” or it may be somewhere else, but there we will find rest for our souls.

Dear Father God. It is mind-boggling to realise that the Creator of this Universe wants to meet with us, within the sanctuary in our hearts. Please help us to remain open and willing to commune with You and find the peace that our souls yearn for. Amen.

Salvation Comes Through the Jews

Posted on by korgrocker

“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.“
John 4:19-22 NLT

‭Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “salvation comes through the Jews“. Of course, what Jesus said was totally true and accurate. The Old Testament was all about God’s plan for the salvation of mankind and it focused on one Person, the Messiah. Isaiah 53 sets out a graphic prophecy of the coming Messiah, and about Him we read, “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins“. The Messiah, Jesus, finally came with a lineage that stretched all the way back to Abraham, as we read in Matthew 1. Jesus was, and still is, a Jew. He still is, because He is alive today.

But to many today, the thought, the reality, the truth, that through the Messiah and His crucifixion at Calvary, God finally completed His plan for the salvation of mankind, is a problem. Jesus, the Son of God, said in John 14:6, “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me“. The reality is that there is only one way to Heaven and that is through Jesus. Only He can save us from the punishment we deserve for our sins. And He was, and is, a Jew.

As the war between Israel and Hamas rages on, the devil has been stoking up anti-Semitism on a scale never seen for many years. Most people correlate being a Jew and being an Israelite as one and the same thing, and Jews everywhere in the world have found that persecution has increased. But God promised to protect His people. We read in Deuteronomy 33:29, “How blessed you are, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword! Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will stomp on their backs!” In spite of many times of unfaithfulness, God has remained faithful to His people, because He made a covenant with them. And in many ways the Hebrew Scriptures read like a love story between God and His people.

The enemies of Israel walk a dangerous path, and if we want to know what will happen to them we only have to read the book of Revelation. Of course, this does not justify actions taken by the Israelites, as they too will have to stand before God one day and give an account for all that they have done in this life.

So what should we pilgrims do about the Jews, God’s chosen people? We pray. Psalm 122:6, “Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper“. And we keep praying in the certainty that we are in the will of God for His people. And we give thanks for the Jewish Son of God, who died for the sins of the world at Calvary so that many will be counted righteous.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Your plan of salvation delivered through Your people, the Jews, and through Jesus Your Son. We pray for Your people and for peace not only in Jerusalem, but in Palestine as well. We pray for the innocent people caught up in the conflict and pray that these days will be cut short. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Grace and Peace Multiplied

Posted on by korgrocker

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,”
2 Peter 1:2 NKJV

Peter writes some encouragement for his readers, a blessing numbering just a few words but limitless in scope. And the blessing didn’t stop after it rested on the inhabitants of the five provinces – it has reverberated down through the ages right to the present day. Peter opened a door for his readers, a door labelled “Grace and Peace”, and by it he provided a glimpse into the world inside, a vista of God’s blessings disappearing without limit into the distance. 

Grace is a word that encapsulates the unmerited favour and divine kindness that God has poured out upon mankind. The benevolence that God displays started with the creation of the world and is still with us today. There is no end to His favour, and Peter presents an opportunity for his readers, of receiving more than a single portion. God’s grace, Peter says, is “multiplied” to them from a bottomless reservoir that will never be exhausted. He spoke out that blessing over them through his pen, and I’m sure his early readers would have felt the Holy Spirit pour over them.

Peter could have left his blessing just with grace, but he added to it the concept of peace. Grace paves the way for peace, creating a harmonious synergy between God and us pilgrims. Through His grace we can experience a peace so profound that it is life changing in our world, conflicted as it is by sin. But the peace that Peter wrote about is not just the absence of conflict but a profound tranquillity that surpasses understanding. Paul also wrote about this peace in Philippians 4:7, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus“. In an age marked by chaos, the assurance of multiplied peace becomes a beacon of hope to a sad world in despair.

We pilgrims are the enlightened ones. We know God’s grace and peace. We have experienced Peter’s prayer in our lives and have warmed ourselves in the glow from God’s multiplied blessings. But we must act as reflectors, focusing the heavenly rays to those around us, alleviating their distress and despair. We pray that we have the words to say, the deeds to act, to bridge the gap and penetrate the hard outward crust covering the hunger inside our Godless friends and neighbours. Paul wrote in his second Corinthian letter, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4). That’s multiplied grace leading to the comfort of an inner peace. The grace we receive can be multiplied to others.

But we pilgrims must never forget that God’s boundless blessings of multiplied grace and peace is for us too. We need more grace, more peace, more of God, to help us gain “the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”. There is no limit to God’s grace and peace except ourselves.

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You for Your many blessings and all the resources we need for our journey through life. All supplied through Jesus. We worship You today. Amen.

Maintaining Peace

Posted on by korgrocker

“For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.””
1 Peter 3:10-12 NLT

Peter didn’t just say be at peace or accept peace in a passive way. His advice was to “search for peace“, with the implication that it must be something we actively pursue. But in this world it seems peace is an elusive commodity. The war in Ukraine is still with us and the repercussions hurt everyone in Europe and beyond. The constant tension between different world ideologies occasionally bubbles up into a limited confrontation between nations. Even in our communities, a lack of peace is always with us – just read the local news. People yearn for peace but seem powerless to make it happen, because within us are desires and emotions that displace even the personal peace, an inner peace, that God has designed for us. Perhaps we can all echo Paul’s wail of frustration in Romans 7:24, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” A lack of peace is often the fruit of wickedness and a popular verse is found in Isaiah 48:22, ““But there is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.” But we know that of course – the world is under the jurisdiction of a person, the devil, intent in propagating wickedness and evil wherever he can.

There are many causes of a lack of peace in the lives of people. Even we pilgrims often find ourselves debilitated by internal strife. Thankfully, Jesus came to give us peace with God, and that is the most precious of all types of peace. In fact, in Isaiah 9:6 we read, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus had the title “Prince of Peace” in Isaiah’s prophecy and He truly demonstrated that in His time here on earth. At the time of Jesus’ birth the angels announced, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14).

We pilgrims discover peace with God through Jesus. Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us”. When we find peace through God we have a foundation on which we can build a peaceful society. We may feel our own contribution is too small to make much of a difference, but Jesus asked us to be salt and light in our communities, amongst our neighbours and friends. Peace can be infectious, and a Godly influence can make a difference in the lives of many people. And when we find peace with God we find peace indeed that ripples through every facet of our lives.

Dear Father. You wish the world to experience Your peace. We have our part to play – please help us. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

God’s Peace

Posted on by korgrocker

“And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.”
Romans 15:33 NLT

This verse, the last in Romans 15, is almost as though it’s Paul signing off from his long letter. He’s said all he wants to say and this is his “Yours sincerely” moment, or something similar but less formal. It’s the sort of statement that would be made by a minister at the end of a church meeting, before walking to the exit door to say his goodbyes. And it’s not unusual for Christians to say to someone on the way out of our home, “May God be with you”. On my business card I have included the verses from Numbers 6:24-26, “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favour and give you his peace.”

But two things emerge from this verse, Romans 15:33. Paul asked that God was with all his readers. Why would he say that because God is with all His followers. It is in fact a form of greeting with which he encourages the Roman believers. In those days of severe persecution, knowing that God was with them would have brought a smile to their faces. It would have reassured them that their trials were all worth going through because God was alive and well. Isaiah 41:13 was a verse with which the Jewish exiles were similarly encouraged. They too were going through a difficult time in a land where they didn’t want to be. We read, “For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you”. Whatever situation we pilgrims are in just now, we too can be encouraged by the reminder that God is with us.

The second piece of encouragement from Paul was the reminder that God is the Source of our peace.  In John 14:27 we read Jesus’ words about peace. He said, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid”. A Christian isn’t so much concerned about peace in its worldly sense. We might of course pray for peace, and particularly about the war in Ukraine. But the peace Jesus was referring to was something far more important and beneficial. It describes the peace we have with God because we are in a right relationship with Him. As our bodies, souls and spirits line up with God and His ways, we find that we are experiencing a precious gift from God. Jesus taught about it. Paul reminded the Roman believers about it, and we experience it too. In Philippians 4:6-7 Paul wrote about some practical help to those who are anxious and worried. He wrote, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”. The remedy for the sickness of worry is firstly prayer, and then thankfulness, leading to “peace of mind and heart”. 

Just a few words at the end of Romans 15 would have had a profound impact on the readers of Paul’s long letter of teaching and encouragement. We too can read these words, perhaps at the end of a day, as we head into a night of restful slumber, secure in God’s peace.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Your real and precious presence with us. We praise and worship You today. Amen.