My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. (John 14:27)
In the late nineteenth century, French artists
experimented with a new technique in painting called pointillism. They
used small dots of color to create pictures. Up close, dots are all you
can see. But step back, and the picture becomes clear! Sometimes, our
lives can be like that. Daily joys and problems, ups and downs, can loom
large before our eyes. We get distracted by the chaotic or colorful or
tragic moments. We lose our peace or get swept up into an unwarranted
sense of excitement. We forget to step back and see the big picture.
The
peace that Jesus promises us in today’s Gospel reading is not something
we conjure up on our own. It doesn’t come from manipulating our
circumstances so that nothing ruffles our feathers. It’s far more solid
and reliable than that.
Look at Paul and Barnabas: they certainly
had ups and downs! They were threatened with being stoned while in
Iconium, so they moved to Lystra, where the people hailed them as gods.
But these same people were easily swayed and attacked Paul, leaving him
for dead. Then, escaping Lystra, Paul and Barnabas ended up making a
“considerable number” of disciples elsewhere.
According to the
world, these men should have felt anxious, not peaceful. But they
didn’t. Writing years later, Paul said, “I know indeed how to live in
humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance… . I have
the strength for everything through him who empowers me” (Philippians
4:12, 13).
Will we face ups and downs? Fickle responses from
people? Happiness interspersed with hardship? Yes. But we can still find
peace in Christ.
How? By stepping back and looking at the big
picture. Lean into the arms of the divine Artist who is painting the
masterpiece of your life. The chaos and beauty will become clearer, and
God’s vision will make more sense as you look beyond your changing
circumstances and remember his love and provision. So today and every
day, take a deep breath, and ask the Lord for his gift of peace.
“Jesus, you are my Prince of Peace!”
from wau.org
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