God's abiding peace

    We are all familiar with the word “peace.” It denotes, freedom from disturbance; tranquility; mental or emotional calm. It seems we are constantly striving towards it but too many times we are not quite able to attain it. It’s a word that may offer hope but may in reality appear quite elusive at times.
     Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace, the One we can turn to when all hell seems to be breaking loose. Time and again, if we allow Him, He can prove to be that stable anchor we need to keep us steady when our world feels shaky and unstable. 
    As I began researching material to write on the whole idea of God being a God of peace, I came across a number of stories alluding to this whole idea of peace. Yet, somehow, they did not get my attention in the way I wanted. I also looked at portions of scripture on peace and a few things caught my attention but didn’t seem to quite grab it. Then Psalm 91 came to my attention. It doesn’t speak about peace per se, but about the confidence we can have in God’s protection. And that grabbed my attention. As I perused this very familiar psalm, I realised that pretty much every verse was reinforcing God’s covering and protection over our lives. But here’s the key - we have to abide in His presence. It is in His presence that we are covered and where we can ultimately find peace.
    It doesn’t speak about taking away or removing the problems, challenges or attacks that may come our way, but about God protecting us, shielding us from every attack that comes. And to me that’s where our peace comes from - knowing that no matter what comes our way, God has our back and He will not allow the enemy to prevail against us. 
    He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2) The opening lines of this psalm cover everything that comes after. It is because we are dwelling in God’s presence, that we are protected from all harm and evil. And it is because we are trusting in Him that we are safe. We are safe because we know that we know, He will take care of us. It’s that quiet confidence and faith that brings a peace that makes no sense, so that as the arrows and the darts come toward us, we know that God is near and the present help we need. 
    Interestingly, this does not necessarily mean the absence of fear in our lives. As we face what we face, fear may be present, but we can also be honest with God and say, “God I am afraid but I trust You.” In 2 Chronicles 20, when king Jehoshaphat and Judah were faced with a combined army coming against them, they were very afraid. Immediately, Jehoshaphat turned to his God. He was honest with Him when he said, “I don’t know what to do but my eyes are on you.” (v.12) He did not pretend they were not in danger and he did not pretend to not be afraid. He was very much afraid but he also knew exactly Who to turn to. He also acknowledged that he felt totally helpless but, he would trust in His God. When God promised to fight for them, Jehoshaphat was at peace knowing that God would fight and win on their behalf. And God did not disappoint!
    So be encouraged. When you choose to abide in God’s presence and trust in Him, you can and will have peace knowing that He has your back and He will take care of you. God will not let you down. He is the God of peace.
    If you have accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. In a world filled with chaos, we all need to be find that peace that only God can give, a peace that makes no sense at times. God is our peace. He will not fail us.

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