All in Peace

Do you fret over the condition of the country and this world? Do you wring your hands and cry out “Lord! Lord! Look at what is being done and the harm there is to your people!” Well if you do, then stop! Ours is to trust in Him who created all things, and to leave princes and principalities to He who established them. We are like the grasses that cover the earth. We may brown with drought, but we have faith in the showers. The trees will wither and die, but the grass returns with the rain, dark clouds and lightning are the harbinger of mercy.

Are you in the habit of beginning each day in prayer, contemplation, and reading scripture? Do you offer this as a time dedicated to the Lord, and in which the two of you can be alone together? Do you rise early and go into your prayer closet where you call His name and wait upon Him? If so you already know how spiritually refreshing that time is, but if not, I would encourage you to do so... mornings are a special time with the Lord, and of new beginning.

Are you having a hard time touching God with your prayers? Do you pray only to find an empty feeling, and conclude by wondering if God has heard you at all? If this is so, then it is time to look not at God, but inward into yourself. Upon introspection you will find something in you that is standing between the Lord, and you... a sin you cherish more than the Peace of Christ, and your heavenly relationship; a sin that needs to be severed from you before you can reinvigorate your conversation with God.

Do we let the happenings of the world trouble us and destroy the faith and tranquility we have in Jesus Christ? Are we so worried about what is occurring in our day to day lives that we can no longer see or feel the eternal truth, which is that Jesus suffered so we should be redeemed; that we should have peace and rest? If so it is time we started stripping the meaningless outer layers away from our life of faith, and get down to the one thing that truly matters... the Cross.

How intimate are you with Jesus? Is your relationship close enough, and deep enough, that you don’t keep secrets, and that you can do the grossest of natural things in front of Him without embarrassment? Can you sit under a tree for hours and tell Him your wildest dreams or confide in Him your darkest thoughts? I encourage you to not have a handshake relationship with Jesus... become more than acquaintancesin your faith and in Him.

Are there things in your life that distract you from focusing on Jesus Christ? You know the ones... an unresolved argument that worries and distracts you during prayer, a problem with your home or automobile that nags at you when you sit to read and study scripture, or perhaps too many planned activities in your day that tempt you to place them before worship. Is this your life?