Peace

  The dictionary says this about peace, that it's the state of tranquility or quiet; a place of security and freedom from oppressive thought; being in harmony and without the aggression of war, or disagreement. Take a journey with me and imagine yourself on a wooded pathway, the trees filter the sunlight through to the ground, and a wisp of mist floats above the ground cover, with its multicolored flowers sprouting from vines and bushes, so beautifully placed that it appears that a gardener had planted them there just for the ones on the path to enjoy.
     Standing alone and quiet, you close your eyes to hear the sounds of nature all around you. The chorus of birds chirping on the branches above you, the slow and gently warming breeze flowing around your body, and through the grasses and ferns on the forest floor. The faint sound of a small distant waterfall as it flows gracefully to the stream winding through these woods. You walk slowly along the dirt path, running your hands over the branches of the tiny trees as they learn to grow skyward and join their family of giants. Just for one moment, there is no rush from work, no bill to pay, no sick child to tend. No telemarketer on your phone, or leaking faucet in your house dripping to remind you that your list of honey do's is growing by the day. Only the sounds of the birds, the wind, and your footsteps break the silence. There are only you and the sights, smells, and sounds of peace.
  I wish this kind of place and peace were that easy to find whenever we needed it. In fact, the older I get, the more that I find that I need it, and seemingly the harder it is to be found. If your life lacks peace and tranquility, then we are in the same boat. Maybe we have missed the opportunities that God provides to us for finding our daily retreat, by lacking the vision to see it when it comes along. If we are so focused on success that we miss our children's laughter or musical number that they perform for us, perhaps we miss Gods invitation to enjoy the flowers of peace. Have you ever made plans to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee with a book, or the paper? How often do these plans work out? In our desperation and desolate hour, we call out to God for deliverance, but have we regularly called out to Him in real praise? Our busy lives and the temptation to have success at any cost will most certainly derail any opportunity God puts in front of us to enjoy the flight of the birds through the treetops, or feel the warmth of the afternoon breeze through our wooded meadow. I find myself guilty of these distractions as any of you. Not that I've given it all for success in business, actually I gave up my personal business to spend more time with my family years ago. But I allowed other things to slowly work their way into powerful positions in my life's schedule. Some of these were church and ministry-related, so I told myself that God called me to do it, therefore, the sacrifice was divine. Be very careful with that line in your life. God can and does call us to sacrifice for His work, but rarely have I seen that sacrifice come through the cost of our families, and friends worth. I say to us all, guard against being too busy or "called". Serve your family first, for if you lose that battlefront to the enemy, what will the rest of your life's work mean when you're called home.

If you need peace as a regular part of your life as I do,then you must first learn to seek it, accept it and finally enjoy it.

     It hasn't been that easy for me to find and I bet the same can be said for you in your life. when we need it the most, we are often too far from it to see it. This is where the seeking part comes in. In John 14: 25 - 27 Jesus is trying to explain that He is leaving the apostles. That the plan of His destiny had already been set into motion, and that He should follow the Father's will right down to the very last detail. From Palm Sunday right through the rest of the week, He was following the plan of God. So obedience and a faithful heart are at the core of serving God, but peace, how do we seek peace? That same passage goes on to quote Jesus saying, "This friend of mine, the Holy Spirit who will be sent by my Father because I have asked Him too, will make your eyes to see all of the things that I have talked to you about, remind you of every word, every council, and every story. I am leaving you in the very best of hands, complete and connected as whole children of a loving and grace-filled God. That is my going away gift to you, Peace. I don't go away leaving you the way that I found you, alone, abandoned and void of the knowledge of my love"
  It seems that before you were even born, a map was drawn with the words and directions from Jesus and given directly to us, on how to find that peace that we each long for so desperately. I believe that it doesn't come through success or owning a lot of nice things, we cannot create our own peace. He said that His friend, the Comforter, was coming to remind us of the things that He taught. Lessons like Love is kind, it never demands it's own way. To treat others as we would want to be treated. That grace was abundant and free for every one of us. That those who prayed out loud just to be heard by others would find no reward in His kingdom. That the only way to the Father was through Him; He is the way, the truth, and the light.
  How often do we go through life forgetting the amazing truth of those lessons? God loves us in spite of who we are; He loves us because of whose we are. If you long for the quiet of the forested meadow, with the tall trees and the smell of the flowers and pines filling the air, and the sounds of all nature at your ears, then you long for the worship of our King. For in our silence, the rocks and the hills cry out to affirm that He is Lord. Maybe that is why we find such solace in that setting. Deep within ourselves, we know that they are singing our song, praising our Father. Seek out your way to praise Him in private. Find a way to move your branches and chirp your song, but do it in a way that it is between you and God alone. Start slowly and without a big production, remember this is your meadow song before your Father. Your peace is there, in that place. Don't be too busy to try, it might only be a few minutes each day, or you might decide to make more time for it, whatever the case, seek Him, praise Him, alone. In that quiet space, you will find rest, you will find comfort, and peace will find you.

The basis for biblical quote from John 14: 25-27 (MSG)