"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:2
I would think by now, after 58 years of life, I would KNOW that the Triune God knows my every thought and need. Yet, I am continually surprised when He shows me He does.
This last week has been a roller coast week. A dear friend of Karyn's lost a baby who was a few short weeks of delivery. This friend has had a year that challenges any parent. My heart has been broken for her, but yet I tell her "Peace".
This morning I was reading the Issues, Etc. Facebook page. The Lutheran Pastors and theologians were posting about the various Christian beliefs. Calvin verses Lutheran. They use big words, I love words, but I was lost. Yet, I was getting a gist of it. My thought was, "Peace! Why can't we just get along?"
The answer is Sin. We can't get along. We might deceive ourselves that we have peace for a bit. The brokenness of the world will eventually intrude. When it does, it is time to search.
So, I opened my daily devotional (which isn't so daily for me) to today's readings. The first one was from Philippians 1:1, 2 "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." What!!?!? That's it? A greeting? So I read the Psalm 85. It has a lot about righteousness, salvation, and peace. Faithfulness springs from the ground and righteousness looks down from heaven. I see the relationship of God and His people. He bestows His righteousness on us as we struggle to find peace. Okay, things are becoming clearer now.
I go on to the Gospel reading of the day. This is one of my favorites. "Peace I leave with you: My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27. Jesus is speaking here - He is our righteousness, He is our peace. We will have a relative peace in the world at times. It doesn't take a longview of world history to see that people really can't have it for very long. It will be taken away by some one, some country, some thing. Our hearts will be troubled by this anger, this warring, this selfishness on this side of heaven. Yet, Jesus promises us that the Peace that passes understanding is possible. As a Christian, I need to take the longview and look heavenward. God is in control, He is my Righteousness and Deliverer, He will bring Peace that lasts. I rest in that promise and struggle to trust it. As a baby struggles in the arms of his parent and the parent gently rocks and shushes him, so God gently rocks and shushes me. "Peace I leave with you; My peace, I give to you." Thank you Lord Jesus for holding on to me and giving me your Peace. AMEN
