Peace: resting
in Jesus
On a mountain beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sat with his disciples,
telling them about his Father’s kingdom as he comforted them. If they felt sad,
or were humble or merciful, they were blessed. The pure in heart and the peacemakers
were God’s children because they represented his family by their attitudes and
love for him. They would enter his kingdom, the realm of eternal peace.
Sometime later, Jesus, wishing to reach the far shore of the
Sea of Galilee, boarded a boat with his disciples. He rested his head on a
cushion, and the gentle rocking lulled Jesus into a peaceful sleep. Without
warning, a fierce storm rolled over the lake, sweeping waves over the boat
until they were almost swamped.
“Wake up, Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?”
Jesus arose and confronted the raging storm, the wind buffeting
him.
“Quiet! Be still!”
The wind died down, and all was calm.
And then he addressed his disciples. “Why are you afraid? Where
is your faith?”
The men were amazed that the wind and waves obeyed the
Master, who showed no fear and controlled the elements he had created. Jesus
had climbed into that boat, knowing that they would encounter the storm’s
terror. He tested his disciples’ faith while strengthening it by his spectacular display of creative power.
Has Jesus led you into circumstances beyond your control,
and panic has gripped you? If you love Jesus and live according to his word,
your present situation fits into his perfect plan for you. Focus on him because,
regardless of your fears and failures, he will redirect these problems into
faith lessons, teaching you about his power to save and protect you. As you sit
in the storm’s eye, waiting and wondering if he cares, he will raise his hand
over you. He has already chosen when he will calm the wind and waves that are
swamping your boat. He will give you peace to wait and strength to endure.
Sometime later, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem and asked his
disciples to prepare the Passover in the Upper Room. Once gathered, he washed
their feet. They reclined at the table as he prepared them for the crushing storm
of his crucifixion. What did he tell them? He spoke about trust and peace. Peace
with God, and the peace he was about to leave with them through the Holy
Spirit.
How could Jesus dwell on peace when physical pain and
spiritual warfare were imminent? Jesus knew that by his agony he would satisfy
God’s wrath against sin and restore the love and fellowship the Father desired
with his beloved people. By his wounds he made our peace with God. As he did, we
must endure the battle to appreciate his deep peace.
Jesus was leaving the disciples, not only to suffer at Calvary,
but to go to his Father, where he would prepare heavenly rooms for his followers.
In his absence, he would send the Holy Spirit to comfort them and to give them peace.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to
you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” John
14:27.
Why should they accept Jesus’ gift of peace? Why trust him?
He had proven his power over the wind and waves. He had
healed the sick and raised Lazarus from the dead. As God of the universe, he
possessed the power to sacrifice his life and to rise from the dead. Their
salvation and lasting peace with God depended on this battle. After he ascended into
heaven, the promised Holy Spirit arrived at Pentecost, and the church was born.
Along with the disciples, we may enjoy God's inner peace and show it to others. We will receive peace with God when our sins are forgiven. We stand
cleansed and purified in his sight, a gospel of peace available to everyone we
meet. And this peace passes understanding when the Holy Spirit comforts us through situations we cannot control. He holds the future. We
rest secure in the everlasting arms of God, our Father, trusting in his love to
protect, guide, and carry us safely home.
If we love Jesus, he commands our
obedience, and as we submit to him, we become united with him.
Sin damages our relationship with Jesus, the unity and peace he shares with us. As my grandfather taught me, it is wise to keep short
accounts with God, confessing our faults in humility and repentance. Only then
will he restore our peace. Sensitivity to sin is a product of holy living. Jesus
is the Word. Let’s live with the scriptures ringing in our ears, reminding us
of the Lord’s love and his peace. Keep the hotline to heaven open, tuned into
his still small voice, or his rebuke in the storm.
The world will see God’s peace in us and
desire it when we live according to his powerful word. They will wonder why we
sail peacefully through circumstances which would send them into fits of
terror. Although everyone experiences trauma, Jesus is the Christian’s anchor.
Let’s focus on him, as he controls our circumstances. If you, as a Christian, struggle
with fear, lift your eyes to heaven. Look beyond your problems to the Saviour
who created you for his glory. Even if Jesus doesn’t alter your situation, he
will provide strength, joy, and peace, and he will carry you.
Let’s make our peace with God
through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of God will fill us. Rest in the
Lord and wait patiently for him. Life is amazing when we dwell in the Lord’s presence,
where his love, joy, and plentiful peace refresh us everyday.
You
keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3.
I pray you find his peace and rest in it always. Amen.
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