Peace at All Times and in All Ways
Now, may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you always. (II Thess. 3:16)
II Thess. 3:5-16, 2:16-17; I Thess. 3:12-13, 5:23; Matt. 24:44; Luke 19:12-13; Titus 2:13
What Is God Saying?
Paul taught the Thessalonian Christians that Christ was coming again. It made a deep impression on them as it should on us, but when he said, suddenly, they heard, soon (I Thess. 5:1-4). Many gave up their work. They gathered like busybodies in little groups to share their excitement. Common labor and business as usual had no place in their daily agenda. After all, why waste labor on anything that won't be needed after today? Paul's second letter is intended to be a wake-up call to those who made a business of being idle and who had the wrong idea of what was meant by ‘waiting for the Lord.’
The hope of the Lord's coming was exciting. Their longing was great as they anticipated the coming of One who would set everything right, but that was no reason to be idle, even lazy. It was no excuse to become a burden to others when their real business as Christians was to lift the burdens of others in the name of God's love (II Thess. 3:10-12). Life was hard, persecution was real, and enemies were numerous. From the crucible of suffering, Paul tells them to get busy and trust in Christ. He, the Lord of Peace, would give them ‘peace at all times and in all ways.’
How Does This Apply To Us?
The Return of Christ is a major theme in this book. It is the bright hope, the promised fact, and the final victory for every Christian. It is the foundation for our peace at all times and in all ways. It encourages Christ's followers to stay busy with earthly tasks, endure all earthly trials bravely, and be strengthened by heavenly hope, knowing that the Lord of Peace who will come again is also with us now.
• He is with us to give strength and hope in our trials.
• He is with us to lift and encourage us in difficult times.
• He is also with us to be our example in doing worthwhile things for others.
When Christ comes again is God's business, not ours. Working with our hands, helping others, and, if possible, not burdening others is our business until He comes. Jesus told (Lk. 19:13) of a nobleman who went to a far country, commanding his servants to work until he returned. In other words, they were to be about their master's business. So we are to be busy-not frantic, not pressured, but busy-until the Lord returns. Christians can trust God and live quiet, peaceful lives, but never lazy and idle. Being busy for Him and resting in Him is not a contradiction.
Pray With Me
My prayer today is to You, the God of peace. Your way is the path of peace. Your very name is peace. Your sweetest gift is peace. Your kingdom is the rule of peace. The peace of the Lord comes from the Lord of peace Himself, nothing less, nothing else. Forgive me when I have sought to find it anywhere else-sometimes everywhere else. As I wait on You in prayer, let Your peace come in as the tide to fill every portion of my being. Let Your peace, as the tide, sweep away the debris of careless thoughts and prayerless busyness. Let Your peace, as the tide, rise above the flotsam and jetsam which storms of worry and restless envy have strewn across the beach of life. Let its rising fullness bring cleanliness and renewal to all my thoughts.
There are times when peace seems far away. The crush of activities, the pressure of competing schedules, and the limitations of time all take their toll until, as on a treadmill, I must run to stay in one place. The atmosphere I breathe is tension and anxiety, spawned by pointless greed and restless ambition. Violence, anger, and hostility make the headlines. Wars and rumors of wars take over the media, but according to Your Word, O Lord of peace, You can, and You will ‘give peace at all times in all ways.’
Let me claim that promise now. In every circumstance, in any problem, in broad daylight or the fearsome dark, in robust health or in wasting illness, surrounded by friends or alone, in good times, bad times, always be with me, Lord of peace. When I remember that You are always with me, I find that Your peace is real, not in some ways and to some extent, but at all times and in all ways. I would find my peace in the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ.
In whose name I pray and in whose peace I am content. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
Our text is not about prayer. It is prayer. It is Paul's prayer for excited Christians waiting for the ultimate victory, the joyful release, and the end of their troubles. But while it was right to wait for this in hope, it was wrong to do so in idleness. They were to get on with life, doing the necessary, the important, and the basic things God gave them to do daily. Paul's prayer was that at all times and in all ways, they would receive the peace of Christ. Our prayer should lead in the same direction: peace at all times and in all ways, in all joys and all sorrows, in all sunshine and all clouds, and all successes and all disappointments. Pray for that peace. Receive that peace. It is the blessing of true prayer.
