Blessed Are The Peacemakers
Today’s Verse:
From Matthew 5:9 ESV
(Jesus said) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
Jesus does not say, “Blessed are the avoiders of conflict” or “Blessed are the agreeable.” He blesses peacemakers—those who enter the mess and make a difference toward reconciliation.
Division and brokenness come in many forms. We see them between nations and political parties, among friends and families, even inside churches. Sometimes we mistake peace for calm or quiet, or we think that peace comes through compromise. But the kind of peace Jesus describes here is different.
It is not about avoiding tension or smoothing things over on the surface. It is about making things right. Broken things can be restored to wholeness by those who go in and seek peace.
That means living in peace with God first, and it is a peace that flows from the cross. There Christ made peace between God and us, reconciling both to Himself through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20). We are the ones who have been washed and made pure in baptism, the children of the living God. Our Father’s peace is now in us as we go about our lives.
Peacemaking may involve forgiving when we do not want to, listening when we would rather fight, or resisting the urge to demonize those who disagree with us. Sometimes it means speaking the truth with love, even when the truth may cause more tension, because real peace is not built on falsehoods or silence.
In an age of shouting voices and bitter polarization, peacemakers stand out. Their voices do not mirror the culture’s angry noise. They mirror their Father’s heart. That is why Jesus says peacemakers will be called “sons of God.” They are like their Father who sent His Son to make peace with the world.
Prayers
A Prayer for Today:
Lord Jesus, You are our peace. Where we are quick to fight, sow in us patience. Where we are bitter, soften us with forgiveness. Where we are silent in the face of wrong, give us courage to speak truth in love. Make us instruments of Your peace, so that others may see in us the heart of our Father. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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