World peace?

  • Matt's Musings

I recently read a story about a 15 year old Californian man called Jeff Henigson who wanted world peace. In 1986, Jeff discovered he had a brain tumour. He was told he had maybe two years to live. He got involved with a support group for teenagers with cancer who asked him if there was anything he wished for. After being told that they couldn’t get him on the next space shuttle mission, he was asked if he had a second wish. Jeff had recently watched a film about nuclear wars which had given him nightmares, so he said he would like to travel to the Soviet Union to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev and discuss bringing an end to nuclear weapons and the Cold War.

To cut a long story short, the group arranged for Jeff to visit Moscow and it seemed that a meeting was arranged with the President. Jeff waited in the lobby, but was told that Mr Gorbachev wasn’t coming and wouldn’t meet with him. He did get to meet with one of the country’s top nuclear physicists who would play a key role in arms negotiations. Jeff is now 49 years old and he re-visited Russia few years ago. I have only briefly outlined his story. You can read it in full here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-52763560

The article mentions the break up of Jeff’s marriage some years ago. This struck me as I read the article because here was a man seeking to bring about world peace who was unable to save his own marriage. I don’t write this in order to judge Jeff. I have no idea about his marital situation. What I do know is that none of us can bring about world peace because we are all part of the problem. Only a perfect man can do that. Jesus is that perfect man. The Bible describes Jesus as the Bridegroom who loved his foul, unclean, unfaithful bride so much that he laid down his life for her. We generally love people because they are lovely and our love for them dips when they become less lovely in our eyes. By contrast, we are not at all lovely, but Jesus loves us in order to make us lovely!

Ultimately the problem with the world isn’t out there, it is in our hearts. We are not at peace with God. Our hearts are hostile to him and rebellious. In a word, we are sinners. Our sin must be punished and we need a new heart. Jesus took the sin of sinners upon himself and bore the blame for it. By trusting in Jesus, we can know peace with God. We are not easy to be married to, but Jesus, the perfect husband will never let us go. He will finish the good work that he has begun in us. He will bring an end to all conflict. There will be everlasting world peace!

Posted by Matt Francis, 28th July 2020