John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
Thoughts to ponder:
We live in a world typically filled with hustle and bustle, comings and goings, people to meet, things to do, life to schedule, organize and control. Many people try to live at the speed of light, to do more, see more and be more. But then a virus put everything into slow motion, except our thoughts and concerns. They are probably more active than ever.
No wonder we find ourselves overcome by worry and anxiety; lacking tranquility and serenity. God left us an answer for all of that through Jesus Christ. He was the embodiment of peace.
In the Bible, we almost always see Jesus portrayed as taking things in stride, very little ruffled his feathers. Even when He turned over the tables in the temple, we know it wasn’t just that He lost His cool because the Bible says He took time to make a whip.What happened in the temple was peace and strength under control.
The only other time I know of that we see Jesus under strain is in the garden before His crucifixion when He is praying not His will but the Father’s. He submits Himself to the peace of His Heavenly Father. When everyone else around Him was anxious, He had the ability to quiet their fears and doubts quickly.
When I read Mark 4:39 where it states “and He said to the sea, peace, be still” I often wonder if that wasn’t a command intended for the disciples as well. Peace is quiet tranquility, mental calm and serenity. But most importantly, it is a gift of spending time with God and learning to trust Him. The more we put our confidence in the Lord for every detail in our life and the more we relinquish control of our life to Christ, the more we purposely shift our focus to the things of God, the more peace is available to us.
Challenge/Action Step:
Busyness can often interfere with our rest and therefore our peace. Take an inventory of the areas of your life that are the most stressful and list them.
Would more resting in the Lord bring about a greater connectedness to God’s peace? Are you able to refocus on Christ in the midst of a chaotic life?
Ask God in prayer today to reveal to you His peace and specific ways you can embrace it in your own life.
Prayer for today:
Thank you Father for sending us your peace in the form of your son Jesus. May the activity of life fade away enough for us to be able to rest in your peace. Teach us how to bring our thoughts into submission of your will where peace reigns. Reveal to us your heart for our lives and enable us to trust you with every part of who we are and what we do. ~ Amen
Please take a minute to leave a comment or question. I would be happy to connect with you. Also, join us again next time for our devotional on patience.
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