by Emily Wooten
Jesus left us this message and it is recorded in John 14:27 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.
God left instructions through his servant Paul and it is recorded in Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (or anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
We can say with the Psalmist as in Psalms 23:1 & 4 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
That whole psalm is a proclamation of God’s unfailing love to his children. We can take his words as our own and declare as in verse 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Every family faces challenges, times of disappointment and distress. Many times it is how we act and react to the challenges that determines the outcome. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and Psalms 91 are packed with words of encouragement as to what God’s intentions are toward us. He isn’t bashful when he says in Matthew 11:28 & 29 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Would you like to find rest and peace for your soul? God our father has promised us he would be with us, comfort us and keep us. Through every storm, those in the atmosphere and those in our life, God is with us.
He says we have not because we ask not. Let’s not fail to ask God for his peace. Let’s not fail to seek his wisdom. When we need shelter from the storms of life he has encouraged us to knock and the door of refuge will be opened to us. In Mark 4:39 our savior spoke the words peace be still and there was a great calm. We can access that calm even in the midst of the storm.