WHERE HE REIGNS, THERE IS PEACE

By Bishop E. Earl Jenkins

Ira Sankey provided the music for D.L. Moody's evangelistic meetings. One night after singing a solo called "The Shepherd's Song" a stranger asked him, "Did you serve in the Union Army?" When he said yes, the man asked, "Were you on picket duty one moonlit night in the winter of 1860?" When Sankey said yes, the man continued: "Me too. But I was in the Confederate Army, and when I saw you I decided to kill you. Then you started singing that song, so I took my finger off the trigger thinking, 'I'll let him sing then I'll shoot him.' But you stirred up so many childhood memories of my Godly mother that it was impossible for me to follow through. That night when I thought of the God who saved you from certain death, my arm went limp."

Such stories aren't unusual. One Christmas during WWI as Americans and Germans were in their bunkers, somebody started singing, "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Immediately men who'd been shooting at each other began singing in German and English, "O Holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas Angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Emmanuel."

Jesus is "The Prince of Peace" (See Is 9:6), and the Bible says, "Of...his government and peace there will be no end." Where Christ governs, there's peace! Whether it's a sniper preparing to pick off a sentry or a spouse planning to explode in anger, Jesus can change hearts and bring peace - if you let Him!

Scripture Of The Day: "Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end." - Isaiah 9:7a (NKJV)