A thought by Erwin Raphael McManus from his book, The Way of the Warrior (p. 1). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
That is so true, isn’t it?
Erwin says, “The warrior is not ready for battle until they have come to know peace. For all the wars that have ever been waged from the beginning of time were first born in a person’s heart. We have a history of war because our souls are at war. We have conflicts because our hearts are conflicted. Every war, every conflict, every act of violence exists because our souls rage. Our only hope for peace is to win the battle within. Every war against another is a war that never should have been fought. It should have been won long before. It should have been won from within. This is our first battle. The war to end all wars is the battle for the human heart. This is the war we must win. To know peace is the way of the warrior.”
He goes on, “It is impossible to ignore that God is often associated with wars. Certainly, the people of Israel have a history of war as well as one of faith. We might conclude that the God of Scripture is a God of war, yet the opposite is true. God is a God of peace. We are the ones who brought war to the human story. And since then, God has been fighting for us to find our way back to peace.
“Solomon tells us that there is a time for war and a time for peace. Our history betrays us though. Our past is marked by war, whereas peace has forever eluded us. Sadly, the story of humanity can be marked by the weapons we have forged. From stones to arrows to swords to bullets to missiles, our inventions betray our intentions. An outside observer might say that we are creatures of violence for whom peace is simply the language of poets and philosophers. Yet the way of the warrior is not about refining our skills for war; it is about choosing the path of peace.”
Later he says, “God stepped into human history to fight for us. He did not hope for peace; he fought for peace. Sometimes the true mission of Jesus is misunderstood because he never carried a physical weapon in his hands. Yet if you want to see the true marks of a warrior, you need to look at the scars on his hands. In his death and resurrection, Jesus took upon himself all the violence of the world so he could bring all the world his peace. That is why he is most profoundly and uniquely the warrior of peace. That is why we’re pursuing his path.”
If you are looking for real, inner peace then turn to Jesus and ask Him to come into your heart and then start following Him. Will you do that today?
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