Peace

Peace on Earth?

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

Here in Florida, from late Fall to late Spring we have month after month of sunny, generally warm and tranquil weather. But on the first of June, hurricane season begins. For those of us who have lived here awhile that means stocking up on batteries, water and keeping the car filled with gas. We do this, not because we live in terror, but because we know that preparedness is our best friend when a storm heads our way. In that same way God offers peace, beginning at the manger in Bethlehem

We need this peace, like the deer who the Psalmist says, is thirsting for water. What a wonderful thing here to find Paul describing God’s peace as the gift that guards our hearts and minds. Just as we prepare for hurricane conditions, so this peace does not spare us from storms but rather it prepares us for them. It is not fragile or delicate. Instead God’s peace is powerful, fearless, and able to guard anyone who dares to seek for God, like the deer seeking water, the wise men following the star and the shepherds running from their fields to see the Savior in the manger. Because of the cross this peace can be yours. It is God’s gift to everyone who believes, who receives His Son as Lord and Savior and who seeks Him with all their heart!

Are We There Yet Dad?

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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

“Are we there yet dad?” our two sons asked in unison from the back seat. In spite of the fact that before we left. we had told them that our trip would take three days, they wanted to know exactly when we would get to our destination. Most of us can chuckle, at memories like that, yet we as adults we are often asking the same questions, only in more adult sounding ways. Now we clamor to know about new laws, our preferred candidate or a more business friendly economic policy. In the midst of this hyper-combative election year, we hear the candidates from both parties calling for peace in the Middle East, climatological peace, and peace in Ukraine, just to name a few issues. But Jesus tells us that real peace is not attainable in this world. Amazingly in today’s verse, just as Jesus is about to be arrested, beaten and crucified, He promises us a peace that looks nothing like the world’s variety. His kind of peace is not a goal: it is a gift. So, this morning, whether we are facing a natural disaster, political upheaval, or war, God offers us a peace to rule in our hearts, no matter who wins the election, what happens in Israel or even in our own families. But the peace that Jesus offers means letting go of this world’s counterfeit peace, letting Him do the driving and trusting that He knows when we will get there!

A Banjo Lesson

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Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you,
even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luke 12:27 NKJV

As many of you know, we here in Florida have recently been through two hurricanes. Thankfully, our home was spared damage, though for a couple of days our neighborhood was surrounded on all sides by flooding. For us, the highlight of these events is that Betty and Banjo moved in with us. Betty is a lady from our prayer group, and my buddy Banjo is a fourteen-year-old Yorkie, who is still pretty spry though he is missing a few of his teeth. Taking a quick glance at Banjo’s face as he waits for me to hook up his leash, doesn’t inspire the thought, “Now that is a wise looking animal.” Yet, the Lord has used my new friend to remind me about stopping to consider.

You see, when I go for my normal walks, I look up at the sky, smile at the neighbors and focus on finishing a mile in just over twenty minutes. But walking with Banjo has been quite a different experience. Banjo’s goal (besides his normal doggie duties) is to stop and sniff at leaves, fallen branches, plants in my garden and even rather ordinary patches of grass. At first, I wasted time and energy fussing at Banjo, tugging on his leash and wondering what in the world was so intriguing about whatever twig his nose was closely inspecting. Then I remembered how Jesus said, “Consider the lilies.” and He, the master craftsman of the universe, designed every detail of every lily to teach me a lesson about life. I recalled that while I enjoyed striding around my neighborhood, Banjo preferred slowly ambling up the sidewalk, pausing every few feet to consider the delicate smells of a thousand things in his world. When I toss and turn in my bed wondering how we can help Betty and Banjo get reestablished, Banjo sleeps soundly though the night. While I fret over whether we should invest in a generator, Banjo simply eats whatever we put in his dish and then lies down for a sweet nap. Though our future seems more uncertain than ever, now I pause again and consider lilies, and sparrows, and remember that my Heavenly Father is still in control. He orders the tides and storms, commands the wind and waves, and calms my heart. And I am thankful this morning for how God sent us one little Yorkie named Banjo, to remind me of His love and care!