May Peace Be With You – Sunday, December 01, 1985
There may be more peace and tranquility in the world than history or headlines would lead us to believe. Whenever a volcano erupts or a storm blows or an earthquake shake, we stand in awe and fear at the destructive power, force, or energy that descends quietly upon us with every rising sun. The life-giving energy that causes plants to grow, rain to fall, rivers to run, and makes all of life possibly comes to us quietly every day. In magnitude it dwarfs the destructive powers of occasional violence in the world. Now, we would not belittle the sufferings and causalities caused by storms, eruptions, and earthquakes, still we need to put these in perspective with the number of peaceful, quiet, productive days the earth joys.
War, destruction, and violence often capture our attention and make us forget the peaceful times and quiet, constructive activity that most people are engaged in day by day.
After a lifetime of study, the historian, Will Durrant, summarized human history this way: “Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shooting and doing the things historians usually record. While on the banks, unnoticed people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilization is what happen(s) on the banks. (Yet) historians…
ignore the banks for the river.”1
Of course, there is much violence and suffering in the world. But, the point is, even in the midst of strife and struggle, we can find peace. Jesus taught such doctrines. He said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”2
The Apostle Paul promised to those who keep the Lord’s commandments, “Peace…
which passeth all understanding.”3 This peace is an inner calm that goes below and beyond the effects of our environment. It is the peace we wish for all at the conclusion of each of these weekly broadcasts.
This state of inner balance, this peace, this tranquility is not easily attained, but it is possible. The more we understand the Lord’s love for us, the more we put our lives in line with His will, the more peace we will have in our lives.
1 Durrant, Will, Life Magazine, October 18, 1963, quoted in Contemporary Quotations, James B. Simpson, comp., Thompson Y. Crowell Co, 1964, p. 299.
2 New Testament, John 16:33
3 New Testament, Philippians 4:7
December 01, 1985
Broadcast Number 2,937