Peace I leave with you

This past week has seemed to be moving 'faster' then the week before, and faster than the week before that, and . . . . So , I wonder what is coming next.
What is has become interesting to me, though, is that real Peace is not related to 'speed'. Peace is something that, at least according to what Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you", is something God gives us. The way Jesus is saying the above sounds like His kind of peace is a Divine gift given to humans when they accept it. He goes on to say, "My peace I give unto you." The folks who were listening to Jesus at that point in time were people He called friends. We sometimes refer to them as 'disciples'. I think we could even go so far as to call them His earthly family. It almost sounds like, by the way He said these words that Jesus was wanting to make sure they understood the gift He was offering. Might it also be that He could tell that they were not really comprehending what He was offering them? He didn't stop, though, but rather added more. "Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." His kind of peace is obviously not related to 'speed' - how fast life seems to be going. Jesus' kind of peace is something He gives to those who will receive it as a gift. He is called the "Prince of Peace". He is the source of His kind of peace. Some time ago I learned that science had 'discovered' that in order for a mind to increase its capacity to cope with stress, with life, that the human mind must experience not only real peace but also genuine joy in sort of a 'cycle', or better yet in synergy. But science also 'discovered' that real peace, and genuine joy cannot be experienced by a single mind alone. A person can 'feel' happy by themselves, and can be content by themselves, but it is only when two minds 'synchronize'; come into a harmonious unity, that real peace and genuine joy can be experienced. Every time that a human mind experiences a combination of both peace and joy while in sync with another mind their capacity to cope properly with life increases. I wonder if that is one reason Jesus was offering peace. When we accept and experience His kind of peace (a deep, confiding, trusting experience that with Jesus we are 'safe' and we can 'rest in His arms', so to speak, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us) with His mind along with the 'joy of the Lord' (accepting that Jesus loves to be with us, we are special to Him, like the apple of His eye - that kind of exciting experience), which is called our strength, Jesus knew we would 'grow up', 'mature'. But evidently everything called peace in this world is not the kind of peace that will produce growth and maturity. As quoted above, Jesus said that the kind of experience the world professes of have isn't real. When we truly accept the peace Jesus gives us we no longer are afraid. Jesus noted that what the world labels peace really ends or results in fear. He goes on to warn of that by saying 'Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.' With the peace of God in our hearts we need no longer be afraid of people, places, experiences or things. We no longer need to be afraid of not having 'enough' of whatever has caused us worry and concern in the past. And as we imbibe of Jesus' kind of peace, and joy, which enables us to grow up like Jesus, other people began to see what God is like through us. That is awesome. And that is the fulfilling of God's law of love.

A few weeks ago we were invited to go to Africa. I mentioned it in previous blog. Not long ago our son went into boot camp in the Army. Just a few weeks ago a friend that we have grown to love found out that the house she was living in was being reposessed and she was being evicted. That isn't all that is going on but does give a little idea of life in this part of the world. The 'excitement' and 'stress' of seeing our son go off to the army was pretty intense at times. Trying to help our friend find another place to live and going to house after house with many a 'no' involved also had it's challenges. And then when, through what I consider a series of miracles, she found a place and we were able to get her moved out of the 'old house' in about one day or so before she would have been evicted from the previous place, that added plenty of 'excitement' (if that is the correct term). The Africa project has had a number of twists and turns and we are not sure yet of the final agenda but it seems certain that God is interested in us going in that direction. During all of this it seems I have spent quite a bit of time encouraging others to put their confidence in the Creator God of the Universe, the Prince of Peace, and to let Him guide them in their lives. Even when things don't go as we wish or hope they would, God's gift of peace in our hearts can enable us to choose to say, "The Lord is with me (us), praise the Lord. I made up a new word this past week. "Phraise the Lord". Sometimes we use the word 'praise' ,which to me means telling what the Lord is really like and what He has done". But often praising the Lord takes more than one word. That is when I started saying "Phraise the Lord". The more I have been 'Phraising' the Lord, using whole phrases to describe what God is like, the more of His kind of peace I have been sensing. When we were looking for houses and a house didn't 'make it', I would tell my friend 'Praise the Lord'. She got to the point where she started to agree with me. I would remind her that she didn't really want it if God didn't want her to have it.
Another friend told me 'God is never late, seldom early and always on time.' God's kind of peace, I believe, also involves trusting God, having confidence that He is doing what is best for me and to His glory - to reveal to the whole universe what love really means.
When I have chosen to 'behold the Lamb of God' and focus on what He is like, God has been giving me more of His kind of peace.
The Sabbath is an outward symbol of God's kind of peace. I am writing this as another seventh-day Sabbath has just begun. Somehow, even though the weeks seem so busy, the Prince of Peace never fails to meet His part of the 'peace' appointment every seventh day Sabbath. Whether we understand Him and His command for us to meet Him every seventh day Sabbath, which He began in Eden, or not, when we come to meet Him for this weekly appointment with the Prince of Peace, He graciously offers a new supply of His kind of peace - a quiet, confiding, restful experience with the Creator God of the universe, and learning that He really does love me.

And as His family join together as a 'body' of Christ in 'rest related activities', the synergistic effect is multiplied. What a wonderful plan begun by the Creator God of the universe.

I pray that you will experience at least a double portion of God's kind of peace this seventh day Sabbath.

Shalom my friend

Bringer of Peace.