The Peace Plan

Peace is inherent to our omnipotent God’s nature and design, while chaos is the work of Satan.  Most of us are amused when we see drawings of the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world.  Adam and Eve are smiling as they stand behind strategically placed bushes, and animals on every level of the food chain are living together in harmony.  Maybe things weren’t quite this cheesy, but it was good!  Adam and Eve were at peace with one another, with God, and with all of creation.

Then the peace was destroyed.  It started with an innocent sounding debate between the woman and the Deceiver and ended with banishment, shame and separation.  The one word that described the world before sin was “good.”  Then “good” was replaced with “pain”, “sweat”, “cursed” and “evil.”  For years after this fateful day mankind longed for Eden, and in the fullness of time God crushed the head of Satan as promised (Genesis 3:15) and restored peace.

No, God didn’t take away the influence of evil in the world, or instantly restore the heart of all mankind.  Instead, He revealed a plan by which people from every nation could call on the name of His Son Jesus and make peace.  This peace would be facilitated by the removal of sin through the blood Jesus shed on a cross at Calvary.  His sacrifice made it possible to enter into a new and lasting relationship with His Father.  This peace is available to us now, and once we receive it we are able to embrace the words of the Christian hymn, “Victory in Jesus, our Savior forever!”

But as we have said, after victory comes we must still win the peace.  God calls us to be peacemakers and indwells us as the Holy Peacemaker through the person and presence of the Holy Spirit.  In the Upper Room Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).  This abiding peace, of which Jesus spoke, would be the driving force behind kingdom work through the centuries.  It is still at work in us as God restores Eden in our hearts.