Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 14, 2017
By Tripp Prince
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. Isaiah 32:18 (NRSV)
Everyone longs to see peace in the world and in their lives. We long for safety and security, to know that all will be well. And yet, at every level of society, from intimate family relationships to complex political and economic systems, we live in a chronically anxious world. Rarely do we engage the world around us with the courage and security that comes from our place within the Kingdom of God. Instead, we have allowed this chronic fear and anxiety to live and flourish within our hearts and lives in countless ways.
When I think of the life of Jesus, I think often of his remarkable ability to maintain a state of peace, even in the midst of extreme chaos, fear, and uncertainty. From the vulnerability of the stable, to the raging storm at sea, all the way to the pain and suffering of the cross, we see the Lord embody perfect peace in every situation.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
In one of the all time great works of Christian devotion, The Imitation of Christ, Thomas à Kempis offers this profound prayer for peace, “Grant me, above all else, to rest in You, that my heart may find its peace in You alone; for You are the heart’s true peace, its sole abiding place, and outside Yourself all is hard and restless. In this true peace that is in You, the sole, supreme, and eternal Good, I will dwell and take my rest.” Echoing St. Augustine before him, St. Thomas reminds us that our only true hope for secure dwellings and quiet resting places is when we place our desire for peace in Christ alone and being known by him.
Just as Jesus found his peace in his intimacy with the Father (John 14), so too are we able to find peace in any trial when we find our life and rest in him alone. Though we search far and wide, anything other than Christ will leave us restless and unable to navigate the storms of life that come our way. In his earthly ministry, Jesus lived a life of peace in times of trial, a life of security in times of great uncertainty, and a life of rest in a restless world. As we find our life in him today, we are able to do the same!
Prayer
Father, grant me, above all else, to rest in You, that my heart may find its peace in You alone. (Prayer of Thomas à Kempis)Application
In what ways have you sought peace in people or circumstances other than Christ and the security of his Kingdom?Related Reading
Psalm 29:11; Colossians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:11Post/Tweet today
Our only true hope for secure dwellings and quiet resting places is when we place our desire for peace in Christ alone. #WisdomHunters #PeacefulrestWorship Resource
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