2 Chronicles 14:² Asa (the new king of Judah) did what was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God. ³ He took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, hewed down the sacred poles, ⁴ and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to keep the law and the commandment. ⁵ He also removed from all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him. ⁶ He built fortified cities in Judah while the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the Lord gave him peace.

What strikes me this morning is the reward Asa received for his faithfulness. We are told he was given the gift of peace all around. Not wealth. Not additional territory. Not fame. Peace.

Peace is a precious thing isn’t it? Whether we’re talking about peace among nations, or peace among loved ones and friends, or peace within the church, or in the workplace – or wherever. Conflict is so common and so pervasive. Left to ourselves we are continually at war in some way or other. But the Lord can break through all of that and bring peace.

Lord let it be so today. Amen.