1 Chronicles 16:11 
“Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.” (NLT)

Study GOD and his strength,
Seek his presence day and night; . . . .
(The Message)

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Once upon a time, I was one of the world’s most informed men. I prided myself on knowing at least a little bit about everything going on in the news. This was partly due to the habits of mind and attention I cultivated while working at a radio station and studying broadcasting in college. 

I read two or three newspapers daily as often as I could get them. I watched network news and local news on television. I completed the weekly news quiz in one of the major newspapers. 

Twitter, in particular, and other social media platforms placed before me more news, information, and commentary than I could consume. Much of it had the heft of cotton candy and the nutritional value of dirt. 

A few years ago, I decided to reduce my exposure to many of these inputs. It really isn’t necessary to know everything going on in the whole wide world. Anxiety decreased. Peace increased. 

When our plane arrived at the Big Airport yesterday, people who had been conversing politely about college football and institutions of higher learning quickly began speaking too loudly and too harshly for comfort. Their phones informed them that a person they admired had been assassinated. Otherwise kind and gentle people were suddenly ready to take up arms and fight for revenge. 

Later, I heard about a young woman who was murdered on a train. I read the horrifying story this morning. Again, people want revenge. 

Revenge isn’t as satisfying as it sounds. It sets off chains of events reverberating across communities and nations, leaving peace and security in the dust covered by blood and guts. 

Instead of degenerating into more violence and more evil, which really pleases the devil, let’s instead turn our focus to our God. Let us turn to the Prince of Peace. As the verse above says, 

Study GOD and his strength,
Seek his presence day and night; . . . .

The power we need is God’s strength. The solution to our problems is his presence, his peace, and his healing grace. 

We see more of what we look for. It’s time to turn away from hate and its accompanying activity. It’s time to pray for peace and healing, to work for peace and healing, to become the peace and healing our families, communities, and nations need. 

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I will pray for peace and healing, and I will work for peace and healing.

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Our Father, please deliver us from evil. Deliver us from considering violence as a primary response to disagreement. Deliver us from dehumanizing those we oppose regarding any ideology. Make us instruments of your peace. Empower us to carry your peace everywhere we go. Use us to bring healing and hope into every conversation and conflict. Amen.