Lord of Peace

“Now may the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16

I love how this verse names God “the Lord of Peace.” Who can grant us peace better then the embodiment of Peace Himself? Yet, I look to myself, others, or circumstances to grant me peace on a daily bases.

I also love how it says “at all times in every way” because I have realized that I need peace in different ways just as I need God in different ways. Closing our section on peace, I am wanting to ask the same thing from God as Paul did.

“ Lord of peace, please extend peace to everyone who reads this. Regardless of our situation Lord, we all need your peace. Lord, your peace does transcend all of our earthly understanding. Regardless of whether or not we understand it Lord, we long for your peace to guard our hearts and our minds in Your name. We praise and lift up Your name because you do not give as the world gives. Therefore, we do not have to be troubled or afraid. Thank you for granting perfect peace to those who’s minds are steadfast. Help our minds to be fixated on you, and to look to you and not waver in our walk, so that we may trust the living, breathing life of Christ living within each of us. Lord, we believe that you have overcome the world, and because of that we can take heart and don’t set our minds on the pain of this world but on your ultimate victory. Because of these things I know peace is not something we hope for but something You continually grant Your children. Lord of perfect, everlasting, unconditional peace,  please gift us a little taste of yourself today and every day, give us peace.”

You WILL have pain

John 16 starts by Jesus telling his disciples all about the pain and agonizing suffering they are about to endure in his name. Then he says he’s leaving them and the Holy Spirit, who will be there to guide them and bring them joy. One thing I like about this chapter is Jesus actually compares life to a woman giving birth "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that child has been born into the world.” (verse 21).

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world

I had my first birthing classes yesterday, and there is one thing on every one's mind when birth gets brought up: PAIN.
“How long will the pain last?”
“How can I deal with this pain?”
“Can I really manage without drugs or an epidural?”
I love the fact that Jesus does not sugar-coat the truth, for in this world we do have pain. Instead he asks me to look beyond what my thoughts and anxiety,  and tells me to focus on HIM. Throughout this passage of scripture God is reveling to me that pain is temporary. Pain is worldly. And I serve an almighty God who is eternal and not temporary. He does not concern himself on things of this world because he has overcome the world. In Him we find peace.

God trusts me?

Day 3: You know, blogging about peace is becoming bitter sweet for me.

Right now sit at the computer the only thought that pops into my head is, “Who are you to talking to about peace? You don’t have this down. How can you talk about something you don’t know?”

To the voice in my head I’m choosing to say, “You’re right, I don’t know it all and I have not mastered the art of finding peace despite circumstances. However, I know the Holy Spirit is speaking to me though the Word. And when He speaks, I write. And when I write, I can see the words, read them, and repeat them to myself. And when I meditate on them, I can breath the words, live them and fully believe what I know is true.”

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.”

“You will keep in perfect peace”- to this I say “Yes, please.”  My definition of perfect peace is when your soul is still because I have a conscious belief in knowing that God is sovereign. Peace is not a momentary feeling when things are going my way. That is why I love how this verse promises to KEEP us in perfect peace. It’s a lifestyle, not a feeling.

“him whose mind is steadfast,”- So if I’m wanting the instruction manual for anything it’s what’s going to bring me perfect peace. Okay, maybe that does sound a little beauty pageant of me, “All I want is world peace.” But really  isn’t that what the whole world seems to be looking for? That’s why we numb the pain, fill the emptiness, or pretend to be someone we’re not. Because we want to feel at peace with who we are in the world around us. Well, luckaly for us, we don’t have to search any longer. God DID give us a way to have perfect peace: a stedfast mind. But what is a steadfast mind? Well, according to the Marriam-Webster online dictionary stedfast means “firmly fixed in place: immovable or not subject to change.” So, all I need to do is have my mind completely fixed in place? Fixed on God? Okay, maybe that’s not as easy as it sounds (well, actually it doesn’t even sound all that easy). It does, however, seem it’s worth trying. God’s Word expresses a similar concept in Matthew 6:33 "But seek  first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”. Don’t you think “seek first the kingdom” and a steadfast mind are the same concept? It’s about focusing on things of God and not things of this world. It’s about having your eyes fixed on Him  - just as Peter walked on water with Jesus as long as his eyes were fixed on Christ.

“because he trusts in you.”- This thought blows my mind. God trusts me? Really? Why? Do I deserve His trust? And the answer is: I don’t! But then again, where would I end up if I got what I deserved? The reason I believe He trusts me is because my mind is steadfast on Him (my mind); I seek first His kingdom (my heart); I’m looking at Jesus (my eyes); and I step out of the boat and walk on water with Him (my actions). So, when I have my heart, mind, eyes and actions focused on Him, I am following Him and doing the will of God. And God trusts Himself.

"I'm Big - Hold on to Me" ~ God

Day 2: John 14:27

You’ve heard people saying you need to hear something seven times before you can really put it into memory. Well, this is what God is doing to me when it comes to the telling me about His peace this week. I can tell you right now Satin is trying to steal my peace, even as I was blogging last night I became upset and stressed again. How is it that this happens? And how is it that I can find peace among chaos?

John 14:27 “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 and do not be afraid”.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you”  It’s easy for me to find peace when God is showing up and I have one of those overwhelmingly spiritual moments, but then I feel like I’m on my own again, drowning in the problems of this world. Can you imagine how much more the disciples were feeling when Jesus was telling them he was going to leave them? First Jesus dies, and everyone is left hopeless and lost, then Jesus raised again, alive walking and talking again with his students, now he’s going to leave? But here Jesus is saying he is leaving an immeasurable gift. The gift of Peace.

“I do not give to you as the world gives” This is just one more reminder that the things of God are NOT the things of this world. I also think the fact that this sentence follows the last is very intentional. Because Jesus just finished telling me that He is going to give me HIS peace, and yet my response often tends to be “but what about...” and I fill in the blank with whatever worry my heart is currently plagued with. That is when He responds by saying “you are still thinking about things of this world, and I do not give you as the world gives you”.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”. I have been teaching swim lessons this summer. I am very close to one child I teach and I was very happy to have the opportunity to teach him swimming. This little four year old is terrified of the water, he shakes, cries and grabs onto me with all his might. When I had him in the water today I kept on telling him, “you don’t need to cry, or be afraid, Ms. Emylee won’t let anything happen to you.” I’m thinking, “chill, it’s just water, and I’m holding you, you’re fine.”  I realized that God looks at me the same way. I am that child so afraid of something so small, yet God is holding me and He is so big, greater then anything I’m afraid of. That is why He gives me His peace and tells me not to worry about worldly things or allow my heart to be troubled or afraid.

Week 1 finding true peace

We all need a little peace; but for me during these last six months of pregnancy things have been a little unsettling. The first four months, when I couldn't see a baby in my future, all I saw was the inside of a toilet and the peace of God was the last thing on my mind. Then when I started thinking about “baby” more and more during the day, my nights were hunted by fears of loosing him, or my husband, or my no-hospital birthing plan, causing something to go terribly wrong. Today, I spend a lot of time thinking about things I “should” or “ shouldn't”be doing. I obsess on the pains of labor, and I can so easily forget about finding peace in Jesus.

Preparing My Heart for Birth

It's my first pregnancy. Being the planner I am I want to know everything there is to know about birth. So naturally I read all the books, watch birthing videos, and talk to woman who have gone through this once or twice. The more I read, hear, and watch the more the whole process of birthing totally terrifies me. And I thought these things were supposed to make me feel more empowered??!!It’

The other day I was at a Natural Parenting Expo, with individuals who set up booths specifically designed to support and nurture the family who wants a natural childbirth, child-raising lifestyle. One booth I came by sold vitamins and supplements. One supplement was called 5 weeks or something of that sort. The sales lady (being so sweet) told me how I needed to take this supplement two times a day for 4 weeks then three times a day for the last week of my pregnancy in order to “prepar my uterus for labor and delivery." As appealing as it sounded for my uterus to be fully prepared I was NOT however prepared to pay $65.00 for this. I walked out feeling a little less of a mother-to-be and ended up saying “I guess my uterus is just not going to be ready”.

But what about preparing your heart for birth. I know there are many “mind over matter” approaches to birthing, and I think many of them offer great techniques that can defiantly be useful in the delivery room. The Bible clearly states we should Meditate on his word (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119 15, 23,, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148 others) So what does that look like? Well, for the next few weeks (I’m currently 13 weeks away from my due date) I will be committing myself to meditating on Scripture, memorizing and praying through some verses about fear, trust, victory and God’s plan. I will be journaling what God is revealing to me.

Let the journaling begin.