Yahweh Shalom

PRINCE OF PEACE

And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” But the LORD said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it, The LORD Is Peace. Judges 6:22-24

As with most countries around the world, Northern Ireland is no stranger to conflict. Being born in 1968, ‘The Troubles’ were a part of my everyday life from the day I was born. Once, I inadvertently drove into the middle of a riot between the New Lodge and Tiger’s Bay. A lovely young Christian boy I knew was shot and killed at work and a family member suffered extensive facial injuries when they got caught up in the Abercorn bombing. These kinds of stories were experience by so many families and you wondered if it would ever end; was peace possible?

Confidence increased on 10 April 1998 with the signing of the Good Friday Agreement after extensive Peace Talks. Could it be true? Would both sides really put down their arms and agree to a ceasefire? Our leaders had worked hard and with cautious optimism we allowed ourselves a flicker of hope… then four months later we witnessed the horrific Omagh bombing.

Even though wars continue across the globe, I hope we never stop striving to obtain an end to conflict. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God’, but man-made peace will always be tenuous. We may have to live with the absence of complete peace in the world around us, but only for a time because the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (Romans 16:20). True, lasting peace can only come from God; He is the source. So, while conflict continues around us, we can still experience the beautiful serenity that comes from the Holy Spirit, deep within our souls.

If you find yourself in the middle of your own turmoil or restlessness, pray to Yahweh Shalom. He has the power to rebuke the storm and replace it with a great calm, for He holds authority over all things, and He can command, ‘Peace! Be Still!’

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all (2Thessalonians 3:16).