80 Years of Peace



Judges 3:26-31
 26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader. 28 And he said to them, “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over. 29 And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years. 31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an ox goad, and he also saved Israel.

Theodore Roosevelt said, “Walk softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.” It is a threatening life philosophy because underlying these words is the promise of violence if things don’t go the way of the stick bearer. While Ehud didn’t say these words (that we know of) this idea did seems to play out as he became the leader of Israel. His resounding defeat of the Moabites becomes the stuff of legends and God’s people are left in peace for his 80 years of leadership. That’s impressive. One must also assume that during this time the people also remained loyal to the Lord for He would not have tolerated their defection to other gods just because Ehud was their leader.

My mind is captured by the idea of 80 years of peace. When I think back over the history that is just the last 200 years, there has not been 80 consecutive years of peace. Even with the “big stick” of nuclear weapons we have not been given 80 years of peace. Jesus is not a “big stick” but He is a strong tower, a sure defense, and our stronghold. We get to run to Him whenever we are attacked or afraid. He grants to us His peace and it is ours without cost. When we are afraid, it’s not because He has cast us aside or left us to our enemies. No, it is because we have launched out on our own or chosen to follow other gods.

Dear Lord, we know that You alone provide the peace that passes understanding. Our lives are complicated on a personal level and on a cultural level. No matter where we look, there is no peace. So draw our eyes off of the world and even off of ourselves and help us to seek Your face. Only as we attempt to gaze into Your eyes are we going to find a place of peace. Come Lord Jesus, be our peace. In Your name I pray. Amen.

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