Peace

(Mayme fell asleep in her high chair. This happens almost everyday at lunch time.

Full belly, sweet sleep...peace)

It is 1:15 in the morning and I can't sleep. I'm going to be tired tomorrow, but at the same time, I've been sleeping so well lately, that I've been thinking that I'll be in for a huge shock when the baby finally does come and I'm up every couple of hours. That is one thing I was always thankful for at the end of pregnancy... learning how to get by on less sleep...it always helped prepare me for having a newborn. I remember thinking, "Wow, I'm getting 2 or 3 hours of sleep at a time throughout the night. This is great!"


Well, anyway, I thought it would be a good time to post some things that I've been thinking about. Tyson's been sending me some of Tony Evans' quotes off of Twitter. They have been such good reminders...especially for this time in my life.

When all hell is breaking loose and you are still feeling heaven, that is the peace that surpasses understanding.  

You know that God is moving when He provides calm in the midst of chaos.

Every believer has been given peace from Jesus. John 14:27 Peace is your privilege.

The reason we can't find peace is because we are looking in the wrong place. Peace is in a Person: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

-Tony Evans

After reading the first quote, the thought struck me, that I can seek and have peace in my own life. I don't have to wait for it to be handed it to me. God has already made His peace available to us to have by faith. How do I get this peace? By faith. By fixing my mind on the Lord. Like, Tony Evans points out, Jesus already privileged us with the gift of peace (John 14:27)...peace that is so strong, He was able to endure the cross with it! We just need to embrace it and apply it to our lives by faith. 

Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." (ESV)

So, I've been seeking to have this peace that passes understanding in my life lately by fixing my mind on Christ. I have not been 100% successful at this, but I am encouraged and full of faith and hope in the Lord. 


Today (or maybe, because of the hour at which I type this, I should say, yesterday) God led me to this verse:

Luke 21:19 "In your patience, possess ye your souls." (KJV)

Another verse about patience! Oh wait, was I talking about peace? Oops...well, anyway, I connected this verse about patience to the thoughts and verses about peace immediately without realizing they were using different words. :-) I know that the biggest reason I haven't had peace in my life lately is because I haven't been very patient! I haven't been patient with myself, my children, some people around me, troubling situations, and mostly, the Lord. I haven't been patiently waiting on the Lord (this is another post I can't wait until I have time to type it up...it is Part 3 of my Reflections, but I have to actually sit down and type out some notes from a sermon I've been listening to...you guess it, James MacDonald...so stay tuned). Anyway, I never remember hearing anyone speak about this verse, but how powerful it is! Our lives will be saved/gained by patiently enduring through all that we are suffering. 


Our lives were saved by Christ's patience in enduring the cross, the wrath of God. 


Praise the Lord! 
May God's peace be with you all today.