He Speaks Peace

 Now may the Lord of peace himself

 give you his peace at all times and in every situation. 

The Lord be with you all.

 2 Thess 3:16 (NLT) 

One of the blessings of seeking, trusting and getting to know God is the blessing of peace.  God offers quietness of heart as an antidote to the feverish activity and strife of our lives.  An orderly and quiet life is a precious treasure.

We know God is interested in our peace.  He is called the God of Peace (Heb 13.20).  He is the author of peace, not confusion (1 Cor 14.53).  One of the symbols of Christ in the Old Testament is Melchizedek, the king of Salem which means king of Peace (Heb. 7.2).  He preached peace (Eph 2.17).  He has called us to peace (1 Cor 7:15).  Practically every book of the New Testament opens and closes with prayers for God's peace.

He especially speaks peace in times of distress or trouble. After his crucifixion, when his disciples were behind locked doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus appeared among them with the words "Peace be with you" (Jn. 20.19). He confronted the boisterous wind and waves of a violent storm with the words, "Quiet! Be still!" (Mk. 4:39).

Feelings of anxiety and fear are natural in the face of trouble, but God is greater than our hearts.  If we give in to feelings of anxiety we will have few resources to handle our problems.  A harmonious state of soul and mind actually encourages the development of the wisdom and power needed to better handle every difficulty.

God values peace.  He speaks peace to the disturbing forces in our lives. As we open our hearts to him, as we cast all of our cares on him, his peace will rule in every situation.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

Col 3:15 (NIV)

The Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier writes these beautiful words:

Drop Thy still dews of quietness

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress, 

And let our ordered lives confess

 The beauty of Thy peace.

Listen to the hymn:
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind