Sundays with Kristi - Blessed: Peacemaker

“Can’t we all just get along?”

Ever heard or said that phrase? I know I have plenty of times throughout my life. The peacemaker is today’s topic for the Blessed series of devotionals over The Beatitudes. Don’t forget to check out the previous devotionals by clicking on the Sunday tab above. Also, be sure to comment and share this with your friends (you can use the links below, we’re all about making things simple ‘round here). You never know who will be encouraged by just that simple act.

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

What is Peace?
I mentioned simplicity above and today’s devotional is no exception. We’re just going to look at two questions that are associated with this verse. This first one, “What is peace?” is the crucial first step. After all, how will we know if we’ve made peace unless we first define what peace is.

Very simply, God is peace. God’s desires, God’s creations, God’s ways are peace. Think of the garden of Eden just after creation when God is standing around saying, “It is good.” (Genesis 1-2). Everything is at peace with everything else. We experience peace when we are following God. We discussed this in more detail a few weeks back while studying the Fruit of the Spirit. We want peace? We must be following God.

Why do we start here? Because I think a lot of people have a misconception about what it means to live in peace with other people. For example, I’ve heard some married people talk about how they achieve peace in their relationship and they say things like, “I just give in and let the other person have what they want, that keeps the peace.” The problem with that is that peace is not about what I want or what you want; peace is about what God wants. In my marriage, my husband and I have to come together with God to determine what He wants to our relationship. That is the only way we have true peace; God’s peace.

How do we make peace?
OK, so if we’re supposed to be peacemakers and only God is peace, how do we do this? In answering this, let’s take a look at our example: Jesus Christ. Jesus came to be a peacemaker between the two most distant and divisive foes ever imagined: Holy God and sinful humans. God is peace and we openly rebelled against God’s designs for us. We messed up and as such, drove an impenetrable wedge between us and God. Jesus came to make peace between us. How did he do that? Jesus was a peacemaker by His sacrifice. He was so committed to seeing peace restored between these two parties that He came to live the life that God required of us, die the death that was meant for us, and rose again triumphant so that through Him we might truly live forever at peace with God.

Before we can be a peacemaker between anyone else, we must first have made peace between ourselves and God. Have you experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ by asking Him to forgive you for your wrongs and to come and live through you each day as you submit your life to Him?

After that, being a peacemaker between other people is difficult, tiring, and often requires sacrifice on our part. Jesus understands that. His role in being the peacemaker for us wasn’t easy, either. Being a peacemaker between people often is about helping those two people to see God through their situation or circumstance, or at least see what God would have them be doing. Yet, it is also very rewarding to help people reconcile their differences and be at peace with one another. After all, Jesus promises that the blessing for peacemakers is that they will be called “sons of God.”

Father, I am so thankful for Your sacrifice to make peace between You and me. I pray that You will give me the courage and determination to be a peacemaker and help lead people to Your peace in every area of their lives as well. I know that You are peace and only by seeking what You want for my life will I be able to find Your peace in every other relationship in my life as well.

RESPONSE: How about you? Have you tried to be a peacemaker before? How did it go? What went well, what went wrong? How would you go about it differently the next time?

Kristi Burchfiel, Christian devotional author and speaker
Living in the World – Living out the Word
Check out my website and daily devotions either on my blog or on my Facebook page

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