06/13/2022
Are we at rest today? Do we feel a sense of peace in our lives? I was reading on the subject of being at peace this morning, and contemplating the answer to these two questions as they pertained to my life. I realized that as we look about us and see a world that knows very little if any peace, that it is certainly precious when we encounter such moments in our lives. When we think back on the times when we felt at peace, and were able to rest without the slightest anxious thought to disturb us, we find that one of two things were at play; either we were blissfully ignorant of the world, and our lives, or we were experiencing the true peace of Christ.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14:27 ESV
In looking back, I found that the real peace I experienced in my life was always rooted in my ability to trust completely in God, and Jesus Christ. I realized that when my faith was unshakeable, and I was convinced that God’s promises were absolutely true, then I found rest, and when I was living in obedience to the Lord’s commands, and His will for me… I was at peace.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””
John 16:33 ESV
In many churches we carve out a portion of our worship time each Sunday to do what is often called “Passing the Peace.” During this few minutes we leave our seats to embrace, and shake each other’s hands. We greet one another in many ways, but a very common greeting is to say “The peace of Christ be with you.” Paul wished for others to experience the peace of Christ, and so should we.
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV
Wishing that God’s peace be felt by those who believe, and that it be experienced through our faith, is nothing new. God desires we experience it, prophets wish for us to know it, Jesus tells us that He wants us to experience it as He does, and we are meant to pass it on to others of faith also.
We speak of peace to one another:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:1 ESV
Prophets and God desire us to have peace:
“And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my Lord speak, for you have strengthened me.””
Daniel 10:19 ESV
And remember that Jesus wished peace upon us:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14:27 ESV
So as I was reading this morning I came across a quote from an evangelist from the late 1800s, and he helped me to put into words what I was feeling about peace, and rest. Listen to what Henry Drummond wrote, and let’s weigh it against those times when we truly felt at peace, and found rest in it…
“Rest is not some holy feeling that comes upon us in church. It is a state of calm rising from a heart deeply and firmly established in God.” - Henry Drummond
Is trusting in God the source of our rest in a tumultuous world where earthly peace is so far away, and only by faith in the Lord, and believing in Jesus Christ, can we rest, and experience actual peace? The world tells us that peace is the absence of conflict, but as men and women of faith we know that true peace is not some momentary absence of war, or strife, but is our ability to abide in the presence of God, Jesus, and to maintain our faith in God’s unwavering love, goodness, and truthfulness.
Are we resting, and at peace today?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the peace you give us that defies all understanding, and the rest that grows from it. We thank you for watching over us, even in the night, and especially during our deepest sleep. We lean on you when we are most vulnerable, and while the world churns outside our prayer closet, we rest our head upon your lap in peaceful repose, and prayer. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is the essence of peace in our lives, and the rest we are able to find in Jesus our redeemer. Praised be your name as you calm our fears, and your Holy Spirit brings your promises to our remembrance. Merciful are you who calls us to you through Christ, and leads us in prayer as your Holy Spirit prays when we are at a loss for words. Wash us in the blood of Christ, Father, and let that moment be one of absolute tranquility, one that allows us to find peace in your forgiveness and unfathomable joy in eternity with you.
Rich Forbes