Peace

 

Ephesians 2:17-18

I sometimes wonder if we have any understanding of the word “Peace” in our haste to live life with all the demands we put on ourselves an our families. This morning, as Jan and I discussed peace, it became clear that we are like most American Christians; we are in a hurry an even in retirement, it seems we are in a rush.  What is going on?  Has someone, or maybe some cosmic power sold us on the rat race, but is the rat race for us or for rats?

My old friend Tommy Martin gave me this council a few years back, when in doubt about the meaning of a word, go to the dictionary, and that is what I did on the meaning of peace: “freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility”, how are you doing on the free from disturbance, with a cell phone on your person at all times, always texting, or getting texts, and what about face book, just to list a few of the things that have taken away our peace.  Peace was not taken from us, we bought into a better way of life, and now those items are in control.  When it comes to “quiet and tranquility,” it would frighten so many of us, we love noise, but where did the love of noise come from?  Just think, for so many of us, the first thing we do is turn on the radio, the I-Pod, the television, we do not have a tolerance for quiet.  Where did that come from, is someone or some power trying to keep us from connecting with our soul?

 I was hoping by now that the dictionary was finished with defining peace, but it goes on to say: free from anxiety or distress.  I have read that the principal cause of heart failure is anxiety or stress that we put on our body.  Now, why would anyone do that to himself or herself, unless, just maybe, we can believe Jesus when He said; “The thief comes (Satan) only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  (John 10:10 emphasis added) 

Often I ask this question: has God spoken on this subject?  The answer is yes, when it comes to being still and quiet, listen to the words of God in Psalm 46:10a, “Be still, and know that I am God.”  Could it be that the enemy of your soul, the thief that comes to steal, and kill, and destroy, understands that it is in being still and quiet, the absence of noise, that you will find God and enter into His peace.  If only we learned from our Lord, Luke 5:16, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  In Mark 1:35 we have the account of Jesus rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.  Jesus, being God in the flesh, never used His own power, but always went to His Father for His approval and His power and his authority, before He acted. He totally understood the game plan, and as someone once told me, “a word to the wise is sufficient”.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice