Peace...

The peace of the Lord...it doesn't come free. There is a price that comes with obtaining God's peace. It is the price of obedience, of service and humility, of persecution, humiliation, temptation and perseverance. The trials that come, the refining, the conviction the spiritual burdens and the warfare. God promises us peace and joy, but He never said that they were free. There is definitely a premise that precedes that promise. The peace of God is always there, dwelling in us and around us - we must be near enough to feel it though. I envision a camp fire burning bright. The warmth of that fire is always there...it doesn't waver, or cease or change temperature, rather, it is our proximity to that fire that makes us feel warm or cold. The closer we draw near the more warmth and comfort we'll receive from the flames. We have to press into God in order to receive the peace that he promises. It never waivers or fades, it is us who get distracted and drift away. Eventually we realize that it suddenly got a little chilly and it drives us to again seek out that fire that we know will provide our comfort and warmth. The peace of God is with us...our peace does not come by empty actions of worship and praise, it does not come from the affirmation of others, nor by perfection and order -- in the middle of the most ferocious sea, in the midst of chaos, we can be filled with His peace IF we are there according to His will and not our own. Just as Jesus calmed the raging sea without so much as a flinch, we are capable of the same in our lives, if we are walking as Jesus did, with complete reliance on our heavenly Father.

How do we (and more-so I) find complete reliance on God? In finding my identity there first. 'Whatever makes me valuable, I will pursue until death' - If I can find my true worth and value in Christ - I will pursue Him until death...if it is something else, it will be a vain pursuit that will ultimately lead to the death of my body and my spirit. It starts with finding truth in God's Word rather than in life experience. What the world tells me is rarely truth, rather all truth is found in His Word...that's why knowing it is so important. I'm reminded of our Fall retreat - the speaker spoke about being made in God's image. When God creates something, He makes it out of something that will sustain it, something it will depend on and return to. A tree is birthed from the seed of another tree, an animal birthed from an animal of its own kind. When God made man, He spoke to Himself - He intended to be our supply, our sustainer and for us to return to Him...the TRUTH is that I am made in God's image, of Him and by Him - perfect in His sight. Acceptance of that one core truth is the key to finding true identity, true peace and joy and to understanding our true strength in Christ.

So, I guess the question is...how close are we getting to the flame? Are we walking the outskirts of camp? Seeing the light but not receiving the benefits of its comfort and warmth? I think that's where I've been...I want to step into the fire pit...I want to be so near that it burns my face and warms me to the core. I want to get that close...