John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as
the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid.
Warm greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ. Today, I would like to share with you a message of hope,
reconciliation, and peace. The ongoing conflict between our brothers and
sisters in the Middle East, specifically the Israelis and Palestinians,
inspires this message.
We are all aware of the deep-seated strife and tension that
has gripped this region for decades. The pain, suffering, and loss on both
sides are heart-wrenching, causing many of us to question where God is in all
of this. The Scriptures tell us that God is "near to the broken-hearted
and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). We trust He is indeed
close to them, comforting them in their sorrows.
As we delve into this topic, let us remember the words of
our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
The world yearns for peace, particularly in the Middle East.
Yet, peace is not just the absence of war or conflict. It is justice, love, and
unity. True peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding, can only come
from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Our Lord Jesus extends His arms of love to everyone,
regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or social status. He does not
discriminate. He does not favour one over the other. His is a love that
transcends boundaries and breaks down walls of division. He is the only path to
true reconciliation, the only hope for lasting peace.
Imagine a world where Israelis and Palestinians, two peoples
who share a common ancestry, walk together, not as enemies, but as brothers and
sisters in Christ. Imagine the walls of separation being demolished and
replaced by the bridge of love, unity, and forgiveness. This is not a mere pipe
dream but the transformative power of the Gospel in action.
There are indeed heartening stories of Israelis and
Palestinians who have turned to Jesus and found the supernatural peace that
they could not find elsewhere. They have laid down their bitterness, their
hatred, and their prejudices at the foot of the cross, accepting one another as
fellow children of God.
These individuals serve as beacons of hope. They show that
the impossible task of reconciliation is possible through Christ. They embody
the genuine spirit of the Beatitudes, being peacemakers in a world torn apart
by strife and animosity.
My dear ones, we have a crucial role to play. We must
fervently pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all its inhabitants. We must
intercede for the Israelis and Palestinians, asking God to touch their hearts,
to open their eyes to the truth of Christ's love, and to bring healing and
reconciliation to their lands.
Remember, Christ has made peace through His blood, shed on
the cross. He has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between us.
Through Him, we are no longer strangers and aliens but members of the household
of God.
Let us stand in unity, praying and believing for a day when
the Israelis and Palestinians will lie down their arms, embrace the Prince of
Peace, and walk together as brothers and sisters in Christ, as children of God,
enjoying the blessed supernatural peace that only Jesus can give. May the peace
of Christ rule in our hearts, and may we always strive to be peacemakers, just
as our Lord has called us to be.