Peace always has a price–but true and lasting peace cannot be obtained without first submitting to the Prince of Peace.
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Scripture
Jeremiah 44:15-16
“Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present — a large assembly — and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!”
Observation
God only knows how many times the men of Israel had turned away to idols…but this time it appears that the women of the community were the instigators. The men may not have been directly engaged in the idol worship, but rather than confront the issue they instead defended the sin of their wives, and brought down God’s judgement on them all.
They wanted peace…but they sought peace at home, at the expense of peace with God. Peace always has a price–but true and lasting peace cannot be obtained without first submitting to the Prince of Peace.
Application
Peace costs something. The price might be a tense conversation, or a boundary that I don’t like, or a severed friendship, or even an act of self-sacrifice that I’d rather avoid. Conflict and tension are unavoidable in life–and avoiding the conflict cannot create peace. The question is, what peace am I seeking? Am I surrendered first and foremost to the Almighty God, and walking in peace with Him? Or am I pursuing peace with the world around me, at the expense of my relationship with God?
This week, I choose to pay the price for peace with my savior above all else.
Prayer
God, thank you for paying the price so that I can have peace with you!
Help me to daily prioritize that peace above all else, trusting that you are the prince of peace through every challenge and every conflict.
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