Go in Peace

 Ezra 1; Psalms 84-85; Luke 7 

“I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints – but let them not return to folly.”

Psalm 85:8

“When a woman who had lived a sinful life…her many sins have been forgiven –  she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little, loves little.’…Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”

Luke 7:37, 47, 50

The Lord Jesus forgave and freed a sinful woman from her shame and inner turmoil. He loved and valued her as a person when others had used her for sexual pleasure. The fruit of that exchange, her sin for Christ’s forgiveness and freedom, was peace: “go in peace”. Peace is elusive when pursued as an end in itself. However, God promises peace to those who listen to his Word and surrender their lives to him. The folly of our sin and rebellion against God increases the inner noise of the enemy in our lives. Destructive thoughts of fear, anger, pride, jealousy, lust, and insecurity shout in our minds. Our only hope is to bring our sin, our rebellion, and all that we are, to the feet of Jesus in repentance and surrender. Jesus, the Lord, forgives, delivers, and quiets our storm so that we, too, can ‘go in peace’.

“Lord Jesus, thank you for the peace and love with which you have filled my life, for your glory.”