True Peace

Philippians 4: 4-8 -   Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

I just keep on being amazed at this great disciple of Christ...his life is in turmoil…he is bound in chains 24/7….Nero could have him executed at the drop of a hat…but Paul is witnessing to the soldiers chained to him and writing letters to churches. Truly Paul has grasped the secret of inner peace…Paul is not just using his time to witness…and write letters of encouragement….Paul is rejoicing in God…he is thanking him for every trial…he is writing down every bit of wisdom God has revealed to him…and he is sending it to his friends….his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul knows in his heart that God will provide all our needs….so he pens these great words…he uses that word again…surpasses… ‘the peace that surpasses understanding’…cause none of us with our human brain will ever understand the richness of God’s love.  Paul tells us his secret to inner peace…how to take hold of the peace that God holds out to us…to drink in that glorious peace…that surpasses our human understanding. He tells us to rejoice…to be gentle in all things…to take any care to Jesus’ feet and give them up in prayer.

Problem is….at least for me…is that I tend to pick them back up again…SOMETIMES.  It is so easy for Satan to plant the thought back in my brain…he knows just the right moment to insert the thought into my human …worry prone brain.  I sure needed Paul to remind me that my Lord is near…just like Job…he knows my name…my every thought…my deepest concern.  God knows what I can l handle…and he will provide everything I need. Paul knew it too…for he says in verse 19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” I can truly say …that when I keep focused on God…when I study…when I pray…I have tasted a bit of this precious peace…it comforts me in my moments of grief…or brings me back to a state of thankfulness when I am reminded that someone else has suffered far more than I.  It is those moments when we stray from our daily study…or go without prayers to the father that Satan sneaks in…and begins to plant the seeds of worry in our brains.

There is another verse…how does it go….is it in my heart like the scriptures say it should be…something like my peace I leave…My peace I give…can I find it without looking in the concordance? Of course not….I am but a babe…a mere Kindergartner in the study of God’s great word.  I am thinking that Jesus said these words as he ascended back to his father…when his great work on earth had been completed….and he was leaving his disciples…staring at him rising into the sky.   Excuse me a moment as I look this one up! ….Okay…it is chapter 14 of John…verses 1 and 26-27 are the very words of Jesus, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”  And “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The comforter…the Holy Spirit….will teach us all things….even how to release our worries on this Earth to God…so that we can experience his rich… ‘peace that surpasses understanding’…and be content in all things…good and bad….like Job.  So that we can begin to mediate on the good things of this Earth…the noble …the right…the pure…and present the lost world with a positive smile and deep inner strength that only comes from knowing the peace of God.

Father… I thank you for the peace you have given me…and I look forward to the full contentment Paul speaks of in your great word.  Help me this morning to focus more on you…to lift up my needs to you and leave them at your feet….and to leave them there!  Forgive me for allowing Satan to trick me …and give me a renewed strength to stay focus on you…to seek the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide me in all that I do.  Give me a desire to spend more time in study of your bible…and devote more of my day to prayer. Amen.