Today's Devotion
From Mike MacIntosh
The Angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And he did so. And then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord so Gideon said, 'Alas oh Lord God for I have seen the angel of the lord face to face.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Peace be with you. Do not fear. You shall not die.' So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and, called it, The-Lord-is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Judges 6:20-24
Do you feel at peace today? The Lord wants to give you peace, and it's free from Him to you. Gideon called the place where the Angel of the Lord met him "Yahweh Shalom," or, "The Lord is Peace." You know, this word peace ("shalom") is more than just a cessation of hostilities; it conveys the idea of well-being, both in physical and emotional health and prosperity. The world bombards us with all sorts of things that they claim brings peace. But the God of well-being, the God of cessation of hostilities, the God of health, the God of prosperity--that's (He's) the kind of peace that you want, isn't it?
Isaiah 9:6 says that Jesus is called Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. This is the very One who was standing there with Gideon as his nation faced poverty and affliction. This is the One who shows Gideon, through a wonderful act of His power, that He is the God of peace.
The Bible says that you can receive the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). As Christians, no matter what difficulties you may be facing, whether it's a loss of a loved one or financial adversities, God Himself is standing with you, pouring out His peace into your life.
"Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78).
"These things I [Jesus] have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
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