Lasting Peace

Just this week, former President Jimmy Carter called for Israel to create an independent Palestinian state.  Without it, Carter said, “it would be a catastrophe for Israel.”  Carter said this while promoting his new book, We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land. 

I, unlike some politicians, do not claim to have the answers for the tensions in the Middle East.  I do believe that the Bible says some very plain things about Arab-Israeli relations.  I believe it reminds us that they have had conflict for thousands of years, and no man or plan crafted by the hand of man will bring lasting peace to that region. 

Furthermore, I believe that the Bible points to a coming time when one will emerge with a plan to secure peace in the Middle East, only to break his agreement with Israel.  The Bible says, “The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings” (Daniel 9:27, NLT).  In other words, a coming ruler will forge a treaty bringing peace to Israel, and then he will break it after three and one-half years.  That coming ruler is the Antichrist.

I also believe that Bible says clearly that God honors those that honor Israel.  The Bible says, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, ESV).  At the end of that simple statement, God points towards the only one who brings real peace.  Only Jesus can bring us peace with God and peace with man.  Only Jesus has a peace plan that really lasts.

Brilliant Minds

As I write this, I am out of town and away from home sitting in a McDonalds restaurant.  It’s about nine in the morning and I am sitting across the aisle from five guys who seem to have the answers to everything that plagues the world.  In the last hour, I have heard them solve the gas crisis, the economy, the political process, the sports world, physical fitness and the weather.  And I am just sitting here wondering one thing.  How do such brilliant people have nothing more to do than sit at McDonalds and drink coffee?

God Knows

Have you noticed that there are cameras everywhere.  Go to the ATM, there is a camera.  Walk into the store, there’s another one.  Stop somewhere for a sandwich, look up and say cheese.  Despite the fact that we are seen everywhere, it’s easy to feel invisible sometimes.  We can often find ourselves thinking that no one knows what we are going through.  Even worse, we think that no one cares.

Well, in addition to all of the cameras that watch our every move, God sees who we are and what we are going through.  He knows where we are.  He knows what we are going through.  There was a point in their history when Israel was in bondage in Egypt (remember the Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston).  Things weren’t good.  They were slaves stuck doing lousy jobs and being heavily oppressed.  So much so they cried out to God for help.  The Bible says, “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.  God saw the people of Israel—and God knew” (Exodus 2:24-25, ESV).

God heard them.  God saw them.  God hears us.  God sees us.  Same God now as then.  Same set of ears.  Same set of eyes.  You are not forgotten by God.  He knows what’s going on in your life.  He hears your cries.  In the story in Exodus, God remembered the promise He had made to His people and He rescued them from bondage.  He  delivered them from what held them captive.  It’s one of the great rescues in human history.  God wants to write another rescue story in your life.  He wants to see you free from everything that holds us captive.  Sin and death.  Fear and anxiety.  Depression and anxiety.  Addiction and loneliness.  God wants to set us free.  He hears.  He sees.  He knows.  He’s there.