Psalm 9:13

¹³ Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death.  

Persecution menaces in hurtful oppression. Racists persecute minorities in skin color, religion or ethnicity. In school, new students or new transferees are harassed. In sports, rookie players could be intimidated. New prisoners cannot escape initiations in jail. What else? Larger nations invade and ravage smaller nations. It happened in many generations and still happening in this generation. It is kind like living in the jungle where “survival of the fittest is the norm.” Why can nations not live in peace with other nations?

Peace is a desirable reality that we humans wish for but cannot liberally flow in this world. It declares in Isaiah 48:17-18, ¹⁷This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. ¹⁸ If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.

Peace is fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. No matter what financial situation we may have, no matter what social status we may have, if the Holy Spirit of God prevails in us, we sense his peace freely flowing like a river in our heart. We may not necessarily face enemies in actual battle, but we should not wait for it to happen. We should always seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit and obey the Lord.  It instructs us in  Hebrews 12:14-15, ¹⁴Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. This command to live in peace with everyone can only happen if we are submissive to the Lord. And by his grace, the Lord empowers us to obey him and live in peace with everyone.

Lord Jesus, fill me with your Spirit that I may sense godly peace.

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