Lost Horizons, a wonderful book and good movie about mankind's eternal quest for peace and tranquility and immortality. In the book we have an amalgamation of differing types of people; each with their own desires and hopes. Some have desires and hopes of attainment; financial attainment or intellectual attainment or health attainment. Others have desires and hopes of escape; escaping the past and escaping the present and some of escaping the future. But they all desired these things hoping that they might, in some way, bring to each of their lives the peace that they so strongly yearned for.
I too yearn for peace. Most every mentally sane person yearns for peace. We all hope that we might find peace in our own Shangri-La, the place we love, our home, our country? We continually pray for peace; peace in our lives, peace in our families, peace in our communities, peace in our country, peace in the world. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and yet there is no lasting national peace.
Peace is so much more elusive than say fame or wealth or happiness. Why? Because all of these other goals are primarily controlled by the individual seeking them. If we want fame we work toward that. If we want wealth we work toward that goal. If we want happiness we need to work at that as well. But peace is different. We can work tirelessly for peace in our world our entire lives and may never find it. Why? Because peace is dependent on not just our own efforts but also on the efforts of others.
Peace is something that must be shared between enemies to become mutually available to both. One side hoping and working for peace is useless unless the other side also wishes and is willing to work for peace. What we have seen in the world from the time of Cain and Abel is an unwillingness for different sides to seek peace. Most of the time each side seeks what they want instead of the peace that is needed. God sought peace with Cain. God told him the right things to do and yet Cain refused to listen to God and ended up killing his own brother.
Israel since their inception in 1948 has only sought to live with everyone in peace. They have gone out of their way to show an open hand of peace to those who hate them. Israel provides medical treatment for their foes and Israel gives them good jobs and Israel gives them utilities to help keep their households running. Israel has given up lands for peace numerous times over the years and still they are hated and held accountable for the lack of peace in the world.
Show me one thing that the other side has given for peace. Rockets, tunnels, bombs, personal attacks, lies, distortion, one-sided UN resolutions and leaders shouting for the destruction of Israel! Madmen seek death rather than peace! Don't just tell us you want peace show the world how you are willing to work for peace. The evidence just isn't there because they don't want peace they want domination; while Israel just wants to live in their tiny country with their enemies in peace.
Palestinians want a nation of their own but they are not willing to let Israel exist as a nation. They want them all killed and Israel wiped off the map. If they had been willing to work toward peace with Israel they would have already had the country that they not only want but a country that the world needs a country seeking peace like Israel. This sounds simple but it is not, for it takes work and a desire to give something for peace like Israel has given for peace all these many years.
Lost Horizons, Shangri-La can be anywhere we are. Peace is present everywhere if we are willing to seek for it and work for it. But it takes both sides for peace. It takes giving from both parties for peace. It must go beyond one's natural self-centered worldview and encompass and include our enemies.
In the world today we are given the choice; peace or death. Man sadly has throughout history chosen death over peace. One day there will be peace. The Messiah shall come back to earth and rule and reign from the throne of David. There will be righteous judgment coming out of Zion; and faithful rulings out of Jerusalem.
There is also a peace that we can have no matter what happens in the world. It is an inner peace. This is a peace that passes all understanding. It is the peace we can have with God. As we trust our lives to God he gives to us his peace and his grace and eventually his immortality. These are the things sought for by those in the book Lost Horizon. They can all be found in one place; in God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. Pray for God's peace!