"Peace is my farewell to you...do not be distressed or fearful" (John 14:27, NAB). In sharing the fact of his impending departure, Jesus extended the traditional Jewish word of parting to the Twelve: shalom (i.e., peace). His intent transcended the term's conventional sense of meaning however - hence its distinction to the peace that "the world gives."
The basis for the exhorted confidence lay in the fact that although Christ was presently leaving the Disciples, he would return to them. Thus the reminder of his earlier pronouncement, "I go away, and I will come back to you" (vs. 28) - not only in the visible, physical sense of Ascension promise (Acts 1:11), but more immediately in the person of his Spirit (John 14:16-18,23f).
Within this context, not only would Christ again be with the Twelve (and the believing community of which they were representative), but he would be with them, "always, until the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). It was, first of all, in this sense that Jesus sought to encourage the despondent Disciples: "Let not your hearts be troubled" and, again, "these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
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Senate majority leader Harry Reid of Nevada recently stirred up a hornet's by advising the President that the war in Iraq has been lost. While neither liberal nor in any way advocate of much of the Senator's political and philosophical agenda, we nonetheless find it difficult to disagree with the reality given expression in his remark.
What to do? I was further interested this past week to note a nationally recognized columnist whose analysis of the situation is that should we stay in Iraq, the outlook is "terrible"; should we withdraw, the prospects become "even worse."
Is there a way out? Probably not. We cannot but be mindful of our Lord's warning of a time wherein matters worldwide shall progress from bad to worse - from a "beginning of sorrows" to a time wherein human survival is at stake (Matt. 24:8,22). Given such, we would not discount the possibility of the present and growing Islamic threat to world peace as contributing in at least some sense to the coming malestrom.
Faith's response? Days are coming in which our faith and its validity will be tested. At the same time, "Do not be distressed or fearful." Christ has promised to be with us "until the end of the age."
Lest we be misunderstood, we would not here disparage the sacrifice and tragic loss of life attendant our brave young men and women on the field of battle, nor would we minimize the tremendous suffering of innocent Iraqis. May God grant the coming of that day wherein peace and righteousness shall indeed reign on the earth.
Burl Ratzsch
