By: Carole L. Haines
14 For He Himself is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14a)
I have been forgetting things often lately. I have double-booked myself for appointments and have had to scramble to work things out for both. I did it again this week and woke up at four a.m. stressed and concerned for the inconvenience I was going to cause my colleague at work today.
I couldn’t get back to sleep. I sat up and got out of bed, put Scripture on YouTube and sank down into my quiet time chair to try to capture that elusive peace. It didn’t come. I couldn’t turn off my thoughts. Granted I have ADD and that can play a part, but usually I can calm myself down. I finally went back to sleep and was able to rest, but no peace.
More things went awry this morning, misunderstandings, rush, rush, rush. It’s 9:30 a.m. and finally everyone is out the door, and I am seeking that elusive peace again, trying to calm myself down. I opened up today’s Scripture and it was Ephesians 4. My eyes locked onto the first sentence.
14 For He Himself is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14a)
That is when I realized that seeking peace itself is fruitless because it eludes me. It slips through my fingers like water, and I cannot hold it there. I realized from this verse that peace is a Person, not a thing. I need to seek after Jesus, who Himself is our peace, and that is how anxiety and stress is driven out for me. Wow! I was seeking the outcome, the effect, a thing ca instead need to seek The Way, The Truth, The Life and The Peace, Jesus Christ Himself. I am settling down now and seeking Him, instead of that elusive peace. I realized something else about peace last week while doing a study on anger. The opposite of anger is not peace, it is trust. So, I need to trust Jesus, seek Jesus, yearn for Jesus. This all reminds me of something Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount.
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be provided to you. (Matthew 6:33)
If you are needing peace today, don’t seek IT, Seek Him, for He Himself is our peace.
Sink now into the arms of Jesus, gaze upon the wonder that is Him. Let all else go in His presence and trust Him to do as He promises. He will work everything together for our good and we seek Him and trust Him.
hisshadowings.com 