God’s peace

Good morning, friend,

Orange clouds and a bright yellow setting sun with silhouetted flying waterfowl and trees Photo by Hillebrand Steve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

I took my nine-year old daughter to see Frozen last night. LOVED it. Her speech therapist had used Frozen books to practice her reading and this past week gave her the soundtrack to the movie. We’ve only heard that every moment of the day that hasn’t been used for school or sleeping. She was singing the songs when she wasn’t listening to the songs, arms thrown open wide, I’m sure envisioning herself as Anna or Elsa. However, there was a HUGE difference seeing the movie and experiencing it and just listening to the soundtrack. Guess who just came in to listen to said soundtrack? I rest my case.

Okay, now this might be too big of a leap, but I’m going to attempt it.  We have this huge Bible in our hands full of life-giving truths, God’s voice throughout, spoken for each one of us, and we are willing to listen to people pick a verse for us to cling to for life on Facebook. Or we allow our pastor on Sunday to be our only contact with His word. It’s as though we keep listening to a really nice soundtrack but we have watched the amazing movie.

I will give an example of how exciting it can be to not just listen to the nice soundtrack of one verse and what we miss. We talked about Philippians 4:8 yesterday. It’s a verse full of life-giving truth. Let’s look at the verses around it and we did add verses 6 and 7 as well…let’s add 9. 🙂

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

The Lord guided Paul to write these words, every last one of them. Here are His directives to us:

1. Be anxious for NOTHING
2. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

And what will be the result? God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

1. Meditate on: whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue, praiseworthy
2. What you have learned, received, heard, saw in Paul, do these

And what will be the result? God’s peace will be with you.

God’s peace…we crave peace. We long for peace. Peace. Peace. And Paul says, the equation is simple.

However for this Mom, listening to Frozen for the umpteenth time….well….

Pray on. pray on.