The Bond of Peace

As we look around us today, we hear the clamoring of voices of strife as we all yearn for peace. We even see lines of divisions and disagreements between friends, family and even within churches. In the midst of the shouting, bickering, hatred, riots and even deaths, President Trump in January established the Board of Peace, an American-led international organization at the World Economic Forum to be headquartered in Washington, D.C. to oversee peace efforts in the Gaza Strip. We are reminded of the phrase Jeremiah spoke in 6:14 and repeated in 8:11 as they say, “Peace, peace, but there is no peace.” We are commanded to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. We are in a season in which everyone must choose where they stand, either with Jesus or with those who crucified Him, and many like them. There is no middle ground. When we ignore justice, the “peace” of which we speak is no peace at all. Patrick Henry invoked a similar idea in his 1775 speech: “Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace—there is no peace. The war is actually begun!” Indeed, we see that we are in the midst of a fierce spiritual battle. We know that only true peace will prevail when Jesus, the Prince of Peace, sits on His throne in Jerusalem reigning for 1000 years. But in the meantime, we as believers are faced with the challenge according to Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” In Ephesians 4: 1-3, Paul urges church members always to be humble, gentle, and patient, “bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The bonds of love and unity are spiritual bonds that unite believers in community, emphasizing mutual care, harmony, and self-sacrifice. Paul taught in Ephesians 2: 11-12 that maintaining oneness and peace among believers of decidedly different backgrounds is possible because of Christ’s work of reconciliation for Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. The unity of the Spirit comes from God, but its expression can be destroyed by humans and, therefore, must be guarded and maintained. This brings us to the question: Are we now facing a Job moment by the Hand of God?

As part of my daily Bible reading last week, I was brought back to what is believed to be one of the oldest books being placed right after Genesis in the chronological Bible. It is filled with lessons on responding to difficult circumstances and the call for encouragement and support from friends. The book begins by affirming God’s rule over the Divine Council in heaven as head over a group of angels. While Lucifer had to leave heaven after his rebellion, he still has access to the Throne as the accuser of God’s children. In Revelation 12:10, Satan is referred to as the “accuser of the brethren” who during this time accuses us day and night before God. Satan’s accusations are persistent and are rooted in his nature as a liar and deceiver. (Jn. 8:44) He functions as a prosecutor in the heavenly court, attempting to undermine God’s grace and forgiveness. We learn that he has come from patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on. We learn that he goes before the Throne making accusations about Job and claiming that his righteousness comes only because of God’s blessings upon him. However, we learn that Satan has to ask permission to test Job. As a child of God, nothing touches our life without God’s permission. This affirms the promise rooted in Scripture and a source of deep comfort. Isaiah 49:16 declares, “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.” This emphasizes that we are permanently marked, remembered and cherished by God and is confirmed by Jesus in John 10: 27-30, “No one will snatch them out of my hand.” Job was allowed to be tested by Satan, but he did not have the power to take his life. Job would have to see himself as God sees him and to see himself as God wants him to be in the face of suffering and life’s storms and learn God will never let go! That is the same challenge that we face today—how will we respond when facing Job moments?

As we know, Job was stripped of earthly possessions and family members and endured physical maladies and pain as each occurrence was more intense than the previous. His friends surrounded him and listened as he lamented his woes and said, “What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.” This was a classic pity party. Then one by one his “friends” began their assault. (1) He was accused of not practicing what he preached—as he encouraged people in their weakness, but when trouble struck him, he lost heart. (2) He was accused of being disciplined by God for some sin in his life which produced a state of depression and suicide in him as he said, “I am utterly helpless, without any chance of success….I hate my life and don’t want to go on living.” (3) He was accused of forgetting God and His justice and responded saying, “If I forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful, I would still dread all the pain, for I know You will not find me innocent, O God. Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what’s the use of trying?” (4) He was accused of mocking God, but he rebuked them saying, “I know a few things myself—and you’re no better than I am, for I call on God and expect an answer. I am a just and blameless man, yet they laugh at me….As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself…Tell me, what have I done wrong. Show me my rebellion and my sin.” His response was filled with pride and arrogance. (5) He was accused of mere talk without true fear of God and relying on his possessions and Job cries out for someone to mediate between God and him as a person mediates between friends…As for all of you, come back with a better argument, though I still won’t find a wise man among you. My hopes have disappeared. My heart’s desires are broken.” (6) He was condemned as a wicked person, as one who rejected God and Job finally begins to turn from his so-called friends and said to them, “Have mercy on me, my friends, have mercy, for the hand of God has struck me. Must you also persecute me, like God does? Haven’t you chewed me up enough?” Job began to build Himself up in faith and said, “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God…My complaint is with God, not with people…So he will do to me whatever He has planned. He controls my destiny.”

Job finally begins to get his eyes off his problems and misery, complaining, arguing with others, and get his eyes back on God instead of his earthly losses and woes. He began to seek not God’s hand but His face but his pride was still hanging on as he rehearsed his life before God. Job spoke of how he was esteemed of and looked up to by people because of his righteous deeds before men. He said: “Everyone listened to my advice. My look of approval was precious to them. Like a chief, I told them what to do.” Job condemned those that looked down upon him after his demise. He called them “worn-out wretches and nameless fools.” He admits that God has cut his bowstring and humbled him and is nothing more than dust and ashes. Then he cried out to the Almighty for an answer.

God answered Job in Chapter 38-41 and declares His greatness in all Creation, His wisdom, His glory and splendor. He said to Job: “Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Will you discredit my justice and condemn Me just to prove you are right? Are you as strong as God?” I ask that you read these chapters in order to help put everything into perspective that we face today. Job responded in Chapter 42 and said, “I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me…I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” Job was brought to what we would call today a “Come to Jesus moment” when we realize that it is all about God and not about us! He wants complete surrender to Him so that we can be one with Him by His Spirit and be blessed! God restored Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as before! HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD! GOD IS REAL, GOD HAS A PLAN, GOD IS IN CONTROL AND GOD LOVES US!

What lessons can we learn from Job’s experiences? The question is: “Where is our focus?” Is it on the things of this world—our possessions—our works—our standing in the community—our circle of friends—our efforts to control people and circumstances and other factors that dominated Job’s life before his testing? Job realized that while he knew about God, he did not have a true relationship with Him and when things fell apart, he had no peace but only pain, complaints, pity parties, and argued with others and God. Job discovered there is no safety in temporal things. (Mt. 6: 19-20) The words of Isaiah 26:3 instructs us how to truly focus on God: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” God taught Job to focus on His Divine attributes—His great glory and power—His sufficiency. The hope of peace lies at the heart of the story of the Bible. Because of Adam and Even’s rebellion in the garden of Eden, all of us are born in need of a restored relationship with our Creator. God lovingly provided a solution: Jesus, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus 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.” (Jn. 14: 27) This peace becomes a reality to us only when we spend time in the presence of God each day—learning to listen to Him. An old 17th century writer Brother Lawrence wrote a book called “The Practice of the Presence of God” that has helped me to focus on God throughout the day. He described how he invited God into his mundane daily tasks by asking God to help him complete it for His glory—“I’m doing this for you, Lord.”(1 Cor. 10:31) This helps to overcome the daily events that threaten our peace—anger, jealousy, stress, relationships, and job and health issues. We experience God’s peace as we faithfully obey Him in life’s everyday activities, including their unexpected interruptions. God invites us to see His Divine fingerprints throughout each day and to know that He is with us and that He will allow nothing to touch our lives unless it is for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28)

Job’s friends had a lot to learn about being peacemakers and maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace . (Eph. 4:3) Paul teaches us about the believer’s responsibility to live in a matter worthy of God’s call in Jesus Christ and urges church members always to be humble, gentle, and patient, “bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. This peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of harmony, wholeness, and reconciliation—rooted in Christ, who is our peace. (Eph. 2: 14) It is cultivated through love, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. (Col. 3: 14-15) The call is not to create unity, but to preserve it. This requires intentional effort—walking in humility, forbearing one another in love and not judgment, resolving conflicts quickly, avoiding gossip, and pursuing reconciliation. (Romans 12:18; Matthew 5: 24) Living in this unity means choosing words that build up (Eph. 4: 29); seeking mutual edification (Rom. 14: 19), and reflecting the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Walking in humility means to keep Jesus first, other people second, and ourselves last. Humility and repentance before God brought success to Job and the last part of his life was greater than the first. Let this be our goal. Dear God, please remind us to keep our mind focused on You, regardless of what situations we face. You know our struggles and doubts. Please give us faith to keep trusting in You and Your strength to keep going. In Jesus Name I pray. AMEN Read 1 Jn. 4: 7-12.