Here's a one-off post, just because I was led to.  Opened up YAHOO! and saw, "TODAY IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE."  And I thought, first of all, of all those "soothsayers" the Apostle Paul warned the Thessalonians about when he said, "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  (2)  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  (3)  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3.)  

And then I remembered the legacy of my Lord Jesus Christ:  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27.)    

And I realized, "Every day could be a day of peace."  But before there can be peace between two warring parties, one side must surrender.

Sin has made every man Jack of us enemies of the Lord God Almighty.   David explored this theme in Psalm 2: "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.  (11)  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  (12)  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." (Psalms 2:10-12.)  The phrase "kiss the Son" is a euphemism for "lay down your weapons."  It's an illustration of surrender.  And the Apostle Paul explores the various nuances of "surrender" in Romans 5:1-2:  "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  (2)  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2.) 

Traditionally, when conquering kings (and nations) entered into peace treaties, they pretty much pillaged the conquered nation.  They broke up the population, sometimes even to the family members.  They looted, and destroyed, and let their military forces have their way with the conquered foe.  It wasn't pretty.

But when we "surrender" to Jesus . . . when we surrender to the Lord God Almighty, He doesn't punish us; He doesn't loot, pillage and destroy.  Instead, He restores us.  He lavishes blessings upon us.  We not only receive peace . . . we also get "full access" to the grace in which we stand, upon our surrender.  And we can "rejoice in hope of the glory of God."  

When we surrender to Christ . . . it doesn't feel like losing. 

"I lost it all . . . to find everything.  

I died a pauper . . . to be born a king.  

When I learned how to lose, I found how to win.

Oh, I lost it all, to find everything."  

                                                 (Bill & Gloria Gaither)