Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. . . . Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
-John 14:27 (NRSV)
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
Mark 4:35-41 (NRSV)
There was a terrible time in my life when everything seemed to be falling apart. I felt as if I had lost myself. I made some desparate decisions that lead to calamity. I felt alone with no where to turn. Rejected by friends and facing divorce, I was soon to learn that my father had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. My mother on hearing the news fell down with a massive heart attack. My husband left and I was unemployed with two small children and many bills to pay.
One day I could simply not face life and I pulled the covers of my bed over my head and curled up in a ball extremely depressed. I simply could not go on and had no strength of my own. I did not know what I would do. I called out to the Lord in my dispair. It was at that moment that I felt the peace of the Lord and almost heard his voice comforting me and telling me get up and walk with Him.
Even though I felt everyone had rejected me, the Lord Jesus did not. He picked me up and took my hand and walked with me. With His peace and kindness, I made it through that very difficult time in my life.
He has blessed me richly with a loving husband and a career that is very rewarding professionally and financially. I went from being alone and pennyless to being happily married, completing a college degree and obtaining a professional career where I earn twice annually what my mountain of debt once had been. The Lord gave me peace and strength during a terrible storm without which I would not have been able to go on in life. I did not deserve His love or His help, but He never rejected me.
Pray about it: Lord Jesus, help me to know your peace in every situation. Let it be! Amen.
Read about it: John Dear's book, Jesus the Rebel: Bearer of God's Peace and Justice, will challenge you to bring the gospel message into your everyday life.
