Peace be with you

Luke 24: 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them,  "Peace be with you."

Peace of mind can be a very scarce commodity. We encounter stresses, hectic work schedules, changes in the work place, bills, home repairs (my favorite stressor), and any number of things that beg for time and our attention. Finding peace can be very challenging.

Holy Week is a busy time for many people. Pastors are occupied with worship services on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Church staff personnel are busy the aforementioned services. Many volunteers who support the worship services are also occupied with their various tasks. Many people want to have flawless services that honor our Lord. In the midst of all this busy-ness in service to the Lord, it can be easy to lose sight of the reason for Easter. The gift of salvation by grace is a true gift of peace. Can you imagine what life would be like if you had to earn your salvation? It could be this constant feeling of inadequacy wrapped around wondering if you had done enough to earn your reward in heaven. I know there are folks out there who believe salvation must be earned and my heart goes out to those who are oppressed by that belief system. But thank God for Jesus Christ. Romans 3: 22-24 reminds us of how we are saved. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

The peace that is offered by accepting saved-by-grace-through-faith is so wonderful and so complete. To know that you and I are saved, in spite of our flaws is a tremendous relief. All we have to do is believe. All we have to do is remember that Jesus Christ died on the cross so that sinners would be reconciled with God the Father. It is not a complex formula involving hours served per week times weeks in a year times years in a life time. The math problem is solved because one man, Jesus Christ died on the cross for the salvation of all. That is simple math. And that simple formula gives peace to all believers. Easter is a time to set aside the business of our lives and take time to focus on the reason we celebrate Easter. We can soak in the peace given to us all by Christ.

PRAYER: Lord and giver of life, Your servants offer their worship and praise during Holy Week. We lift up our voices in song and prayer. We give You praise O God. We are humbled by the memory of the sacrifice of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. And for the gift of salvation given by His sacrifice we are eternally grateful. We ask that You receive our worship as a fragrant offering that is pleasing to You. This prayer of thanksgiving we offer in the name of Jesus, who with the Father and the Spirit are one God, now and forever, Amen.