04/01/2022
What is the peace we get from God? Sometimes we think it is a calm and uneventful day, or the absence of war and strife, but the peace we receive from the Lord is far deeper than this. The peace of God is to stand in the midst of the worst terrors and turmoil that the world can throw at us, and fear not… it is to trust in Christ, and know beyond all else, that even in death, especially in death, we have victory… and that His joy awaits us for all eternity.
“Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”
Job 13:15 ESV
Today we might be facing some terrible tribulation, every earthly thing we have might be taken from us, but if we hold tight to our faith in the face of such disaster, we will find peace. We might suffer pain so intense that we call out for death, but if we believe, then even as our bodies are writhing, and though we faint at the height of its intensity, the peace of Christ will remain with us. In such immense suffering we will be at peace, and trust in our faith, knowing that this affliction will soon pass. We will be at ease in the knowledge that we will stand before the throne… free of all pain and suffering. This knowledge is the wellspring of our peace; in this we take absolute solace, because our faith is a victory we know can never be taken from us.
“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.””
Psalm 16:1-2 ESV
As Christian’s we know that the world will come against us, and that our trust should not be in what it has to offer us. The earthly things, both good and bad, are just as fleeting as the earth itself; here one day, and gone the next. Our trust should be in the Lord, because He is our everlasting rock, and in Him our eternal peace stands unshakeable.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV
Whatever we face, even if they are the trials of Job, they should be faced from a foundation of faith and trust in God. Look for Jesus in the storms, and walk to meet Him on the water. No matter the clamor or roar of the earth, listen for the small still voice of God. These are the things that still our souls, the low whispers, Jesus coming to us atop the raging waves, and they will provide us peace in everything the world can rally against us.
““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”
Psalm 46:10-11 ESV
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the deep rooted peace we find in you, and thank you for every trial that shakes the ground around us, only to strengthen our faith. Thank you Father for the storms that rise up against us, for their rains bring sweetness to the fruit of your spirit, and rest in the peace we come to know through Christ. Whisper in our ear, calm us as your presence stills us, and let nothing in the world disturb the peace we have found in you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God in whom all faith is fixed, and by whom our peace is eternally assured. Praised be your name for the calm we feel as we walk in the valleys; even the valley of death. Praised be your name for your peace that comforts us at the height of our suffering. Give us more than the peace that the world knows, give us the peace of Christ which defies understanding. Wash us in His precious blood, forgive us our sins, and prepare us by your grace, and through our transformation, into the image of Christ. Secure us as we rest in you, and cradle us in your arms, and your loving peace, forevermore.
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15 ESV
Rich Forbes