Father, reading “Our Daily Bread” this morning connected it with a sermon You gave me a couple of weeks ago. Both dealt with John 14 where Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. This is something I realize but what comfort I find in being reminded of it. May Your presence in me this day influence my every word and deed. May the peace You give me be evident to all. “Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.”

Lord, I thought I was going to read a passage and write on it this morning but You have touched my heart in my opening prayer and I feel compelled to carry on.

In our world “peace” is elusive. Left to us, on a global scale, it is impossible but on an individual basis it is difficult but surely attainable. We all yearn for peace. But our problem lies in the fact that just about all of us search for it in every nook and cranny but fail to look to You – the Prince of Peace. Even Your children are hard pressed from time to time to find it.

Part of our problem is that we feel we have to take care of things ourselves – we shouldn’t have to ask anyone to help us. That would show that we are weak. We may not want to acknowledge it but that’s what we are! We are weak. In and of ourselves we cannot find peace – or we can’t hold on to it.

But probably the biggest contributing factor to our dilemma is the fact that our relationships with You are shallow. You desire deep relationships with us, but we are too busy. Or more likely, we fear giving ourselves over to You thinking that life as we know it will cease to exist – no more fun, just holed up with a Bible somewhere.

But, Lord, nothing could be farther from the truth! When we give ourselves over to You, there is freedom! And there is…peace.

This is a reality, Lord, for I have experienced it firsthand. I have followed You for most of my life but until I gave myself totally over to You, my life was a rotating course of ups and downs, ins and outs. And getting to this point is more than mental assent – it’s more than a wish. It is a deliberate, conscientious act…and I believe it comes with setting aside our precious time and investing it in a heart-to-heart, transparent, honest daily time with You. Only then can we find the treasured trophy of peace, hope and love that You have for us.

Help me, Lord, to stay the course. Thank You for calling out to me. Thank You for having the where with all to answer. Amen.

May 27th, Fri, 6:21 am