Jesus calls us to be peacemakers; blessed is our future when we work for peace (Mat 5:9). We need to study that word “peace” and the work of peacemaking in more detail, because people tend to have the wrong idea about it. Sin disconnected us from God in whose image we were originally created. Peace (wholeness) is what we experience when we enter back into a relationship with God; he begins to restore our broken images by his wholeness. We work for peace as we help others find that same wholeness in God’s unfailing love.
When we place our hope in becoming biblical peacemakers as God designed, we are purposefully revealing divine love so others can see how much God cares for the restoration of all his creation. God’s love seeks to lead every human being to a place of wholeness in his presence. This restoration in God’s love not only would affect people on a personal level, it would influence change in families, neighborhoods, communities, countries…the world. This restoration is the work of King Jesus to build his Kingdom on earth.
In our passage today from Isaiah, we must acknowledge Jesus is the God who deeply cares for people. We can make gods [idols] of many things and try to worship them, but those gods will never be there for us or seek to draw us into a place of wholeness [hope, peace, joy, and love). The false gods human beings make are dominating, demanding, demeaning, and very dangerous to those made in the image of the One True God; Satan is the author of each and every false god.
Those beautiful gifts can only be found in the Savior who loves his creation. God pursues people in order to love them into wholeness. Therefore, the followers and believers of Creator God serve him by building others in his love and working to bring the wholeness of the Kingdom of heaven to earth.
Isaiah 11:1-9 NLT A Branch from David’s Line
1
Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
2
And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3
He will delight in obeying the Lord.
He will not judge by appearance
nor make a decision based on hearsay.
4
He will give justice to the poor
and make fair decisions for the exploited.
The earth will shake at the force of his word,
and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
5
He will wear righteousness like a belt
and truth like an undergarment.
6
In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.
The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,
and a little child will lead them all.
7
The cow will graze near the bear.
The cub and the calf will lie down together.
The lion will eat hay like a cow.
8
The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra.
Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.
9
Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for as the waters fill the sea,
so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.
Prayer: Lord, when human beings are being made whole in your perfect love, there is a greater measure of peace in the world. We are less selfish and more compassionate; we are more like you, Lord. So, continue to draw us deeper into your shalom and help us to work for the peace of your Kingdom on earth. One day your shalom—government of peace—will rule the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.