JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to pursue peace.

This is what the Apostle Paul instructed a young pastor to do in Second Timothy 2:22. Paul was instructing Timothy to be an effective witness for the Gospel.

Pursuing peace was one of those instructions.  Jesus offers us peace with God that is not dependent on favorable circumstances. Just before Jesus died on a cross, He told His disciples in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Peace is a gift from Jesus that equips us to live at peace with God and with others. First Peter 3:11 shows us how we can be intentional about pursuing peace. “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.”

Take the daily challenge to pursue peace in relationship to God and in our relationships with others on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com