Yoko, Oprah and Other Dead Ends

This morning I happened to be listening to the radio and caught Chuck Swindoll's one-minute "Insight". He was talking about how grace and peace come only from God.

This was not new information for me, but somehow, it struck me differently today. It seems the world (especially Western entertainment gurus) is on the rampage to "make" peace. Some of the women, such as Yoko Ono, are trying their very best to make peace. Sadly, this is an impossible task... impossible, without the Prince of Peace, Jesus, being part of the equation.

The same can be said of grace. Women have long aspired to be graceful - in their posture, movements, speech, etc. Particularly in the deep South, where debutantes and ladies are trained, grace is part of the "package" of femininity. Oprah and similar female "role-models" advocate self-esteem, yoga, and all kinds of other ways to find peace and grace within.

Of course, in both of these cases, the meaning of true peace and ultimate grace is not exactly what Hollywood's spokespeople are advocating. However, I find it interesting how these words have come to have a "new" definition. For instance, is peace "no fighting (war) in the world"? We could all simply be co-existing, hating each other deep within our souls, and yet not fighting. Would that be peace? No. Do we need to accept each other's opinions or viewpoints and buy into the idea of "tolerance" without opposition? Is that peace? Again, no. (This would be impossible with mutually-exclusive viewpoints).

And what about grace? Is it walking smoothly across a room, or speaking in a particular tone of voice? Not really. We can control ourselves in our decorum, while grace or forgiveness in our hearts towards another person is lacking and simply disguised with pleasantries and elegance.

So let us consider what God says concerning peace and grace:

Ps. 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Rom 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Clearly, PEACE COMES FROM GOD, and is available once we acknowledge God's sacrifice on our behalf, in Jesus Christ, His Son.

Ps. 84:7a For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory;

Eph. 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

GRACE, too, COMES FROM THE ALMIGHTY.

Mankind has made some amazing discoveries, such as DNA, outer galaxies, and so on. However, I find it interesting that in the pursuit for basics such as peace and grace, we seem to be lost - looking in all the wrong places.

God offers us the means to peace and grace in our lives. He offers this through the blood of His Son. I suggest that we be sure to give the lost around us the truth - there is peace and grace available. There is only one way to that grace and peace, Jesus. And once we come to God, we can rejoice on life's road, because He offers genuine peace and unstoppable grace!