His Peace

Prayer is hard work at times. Part of that work is physical because the only way I can keep my easily distracted mind from wandering away from conversing with God is by walking while I pray. The older I get, the more challenging is the walking part.
However, in some ways, prayer is lighter because God is teaching me to say yes to His will in all things, not just those prayed for, but He is working to bring all my desires into conformity with His own  perfect will, even when I have no idea what He has in mind.

Today’s reading reminds me that God works miracles in wills that are surrendered to Him, not that He does what I ask, but that He changes the hard thing into an easy one, and makes me love to do the thing I formerly avoided. Like an ox, if I rebel against the yoke and try to avoid it, I find it hard and galling, but when I take His yoke on by consenting to it, that hard thing becomes easy, even comfortable. As the devotional says, in this life I need not carry my burdens alone because Jesus is my burden-bearer and I can lay on Him every concern.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Jesus promised peace, not like the peace we often pray for. We pray for the problem to be fixed or removed, but His peace is an untroubled heart.

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)

He also gives me my part in finding this peace.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15–17)

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. (Isaiah 26:3–4)

Peace rules when I am thankful, when His Word fills my heart and mind, when I am in rich fellowship with other believers, when my heart is filled with worship, and when I am doing all that He wants me to do:

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

Peace isn’t about walking less or slower, just as it isn’t about expecting God to do everything the way I want it done. It is about focus and trust, and about total surrender.

PRAY: Jesus, I’m also noticing that peace sets me free from that nagging sense that I’m not doing enough, or saying enough, or being what I should be. Your peace is about focusing on You to the point that I can hear Your voice when You want me to speak or act, and be content and resting in You, letting You decide how best to answer my prayers. It is easy and light — and if I am not content with that, perhaps I am thinking too much of myself (pride) instead of letting You be my Savior.

Praise produces joy, joy produces strength . . .

 

READ 1 Chronicles 16–20

This morning I woke three hours earlier than usual and found myself praising God through the alphabet: Almighty, Blessed, Creator and so on. It filled me with joy, and joy filled me with energy. So I got up.

And the reading for today is one of praise describing the first part of David’s reign as king over God’s people:

And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. (1 Chronicles 16:1-4)

The rest of this chapter is also in Psalm 105:1-15 and 96:1-13, David’s praise to God. Then he continues:

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness . . . . Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!  . . . . Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required . . . . And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel. With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. (16:29-41)

Reading all this activity of praise to God gives me even more joy and surely the joy of the Lord is my strength. This line brings me down to practical application: “Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.” (16:43) I need to use that energy to be a blessing and take care of my home and my husband!

However, David’s next words are also ‘down to earth’ words for they reflect all that God did for him. God reminds me of all that He has done for me. David was taken “from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince” over God’s people. The Lord was with him and fought his enemies. He would make a great name for this shepherd boy. Of course David asked this question:

“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. For your servant’s sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (17:16–20)

I feel a little of what David felt as he said, “O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O Lord, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.” While not in the same way, God has also taken me out of a messed up life, blessed me and made promises, watching over me and my family, and given us joy. There is none like Him, no God besides Him. Praise His name forever!