to know His peace

i thought it might be appropriate today, as we round the corner to Palm Sunday, to share something i learned a few months ago through my Breaking Free Bible study. maybe it will change your life like it did mine?

i want to talk about peace today. probably because i'm really busy right now. this may be more for my good than yours? i tend to get overwhelmed pretty easily, especially if there is more than one outing or event on the calendar in one day. for me, right now, compound that with multiple events, planned for the same day or the same week, 4 really important singing commitments in three weeks [i actually backed out of one of them yesterday, the fifth one, which is a whole 'nother post], preparing for the queen bee market, and the keeping up with daily life... that's my calendar right now. it makes me crazy just thinking about it. i get stressed and flustered easily, especially if i sleep in and don't have my quiet time before my daughter wakes up.

i need peace like i need air in my lungs. i need Him every hour, like the hymn says. and if you've read Beth Moore, you know that:

Peace can be possible in any situation, but we cannot simply produce it on demand. In fact, we cannot produce it at all. It is "fruit of the spirit".

now, there are times that i have experienced the perfect peace that Isaiah talks about. i remember a specific time when my mind was steadfast because i trusted in Him. recently i experienced a very pivotal moment in my life and my future hinged on that peace. the times that i know God's peace are usually the important and huge events in my life. i tend to have peace in messy, scary, tough situations. but in the daily grind and busy-ness of life? not-so-much. 

i learned something a few months ago. that Christ died so that we would have peace. abundantly. constantly. all the time. read Luke 19:41-42 which takes place just as Christ is about to enter Jerusalem leading up to the last week of His life. [which is why i found it appropriate for palm sunday]:

As [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes."

maybe that passage doesn't strike a chord with you. but Ms. Beth taught me that "the greek word klaio ["wept" in the verse above] is the strongest word used in the New Testament for grief." yes, he wept over Lazarus' death, but He outwardly and expressively grieved over the people of Jerusalem who would reject Him, and thereby reject the peace that only He could bring. is it possible He feels that way about us when we are unnecessarily choosing chaos over peace? depression or discomfort or stress or devastation... instead of peace. peace that passes all understanding. peace that is also wild and exciting like a river. God, our Father, grieves this too. He says so in Isaiah 48:18...

If only you had paid attention to my commands, 

your peace would have been like a river, 

your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

"if only you had paid attention to my commands." if you only you had taken the time to read my Word, pray for understanding, to be in my presence. if only you'd pause for a few minutes and search for Bible verses that bring hope to your circumstances and peace to your burdened soul. 

a river doesn't exist apart from it's upstream source, right? same goes for peace like a river. it cannot exist apart from its Source. the Source of all life and all peace and all rest, which is Christ Himself. the Word became flesh, as revealed to us in scripture. without the Source, without constantly returning to Him and to His Word for replenishing and refilling, we can't know peace.

friends, Christ died so that we would have peace. by forfeiting this peace, are we cheapening His death? are we saying, "no thanks, i understand that's why you died, but i'd rather not accept that peace." nothing could grieve His heart more. Luke 19:41-42 tells us so.