Soaking in Peace

“[RIghteousness] will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 4:24-5:2

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

The early palette is pale blues and greens, grass and firs and maples framing the grey green water, blue hills beyond. The only pop is the red rubber ball of low sun, splashing splotches of sparkles like a skipping stone as the milky sky, tinted faintly pink, pulls it up. Loons congregate on the velvet lake, occasionally submerging for a breakfast bite or taking off in flapping rhythmic slaps along the surface. All else is silent. A majestic heron soars from its perch in needled limbs above shore, gracing wide strong wings in fluid motion. Every pore soaks in peace.

Man gnaws for peace in the brawl of life, yet seldom takes the effort and time to soak it in. We carry war in our hearts towards people and circumstances, and wield weaponry of blame and offense without conviction. We nurse secret sins and habits that erode our hearts, yet fail to bring them into the light to be cleansed and healed. We say ‘peace, peace’ where there is no peace, playing a charade with inner angst, unable to convince ourselves, and others. On our own, we are troubled by inner turmoil and cannot seem to escape it. We may even try manmade substances to procure it. What is true in our salvation never makes its home in our hearts, and we are the worse and miserable for not reckoning it our own. (Jeremiah 6:14)

Christ Jesus has made peace for our souls in the excruciating agony of the cross, yet we pretend He has not fully forgiven, that it is not finished. The Prince of Peace is ever-present, ruling in serene control, unflappable in His governing of all things, but we keep Him at bay, preferring to manage ourselves into busy and frenzy and fretting about the future. It is the enemy’s way to keep us questioning the goodness and sufficiency of God, but we know the trick and should be alert to his conniving. (Genesis 3:1-4; John 19:30; 1 Peter 5:8)

Weary soul, when will you come to rest? What need we set aside, forever, to appropriate what is true about Christ’s finished work and abiding Holy Spirit of peace? He has overcome the frenetic world, He has reconciled enemies to be friends. When will we pause to soak in these truths and allow them to permeate every part of us? His peace makes a difference in all aspects of life. (John 14:27; 16:33; Ephesians 2:13-17)

Lord, fill me with Your incomprehensible peace so I might think clearly, behave wisely, speak calmly, and spread abroad the fruit of Your peace to those I encounter. (Galatians 5:22-23)