This is a confession: with all this talk of peacekeeping and peacemaking; I must still have much to learn about peace. I don't know that I have "craved" peace. I must even admit I may not have "pursued" it. As I heard that from the woman evangelist, I prayed and am still asking God "How do I crave and pursue peace?"
I honestly believe I thought peace was the by-product of the craving and pursuing of righteousness and right living. Craving and pursuing actually stretches my mind in that I have mistakenly thought of peace in terms of sweet little doves and gentle olive branches. Real life shows me that I have much to learn from Holy Spirit on peace. Today I am seeking wisdom and understanding and believe I have just begun to know about this quest of peace that God gives His children; no matter what chaos and turmoil is around us.
I know about craving: I love food and many other things. I have craved and pursued them. Oh, let me crave an ice cream cone or anything else and I'll find a way to get it. So if I can crave a cone of cream and get it; I am coming into craving and pursing peace.
I identify with Apostle Peter: the good, bad, and ugly of impetuous Peter. So when I think of craving and pursuing peace I read from him in 1Peter 3:10-11, "For whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must
turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it."
I don't have answers on this; I am full of questions on how will I pursue...run after peace. Obviously it is very important to Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied that He is the Prince of Peace.
This week the focus will be on how do we
- Seek
- Inquire for
- Crave
- Pursue
PEACE
I know some of you understand these Scriptures and this concept of pursuing peace as a committed Christian better than I do. Please leave your comments. I am honestly pursuing the wisdom and understanding of peace on God's terms, His Way.
2 comments:
* "To be at one with God is to be at peace ... peace is to be found only within, and unless one finds it there he will never find it at all. Peace lies not in the external world. It lies within one's own soul." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
* "What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen." ~Henry David Thoreau
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you."... John 14.27
Kay,
You sent me on a quest this morning!! And these quotes are what I have found regarding peace.
Peace is found through Jesus Christ, not in this world. The peace of Jesus lies within our souls as our trust and faith grow in Him. As we grow in Him, our peacefulness increases--even in times of stress and turmoil.
Do I crave peace? Yes, I do. Where do I find it? In the Word of God and through prayer--not only my own but through others praying for me and with me.
Do I pursue peace? Yes, I do. How do I pursue it? By setting a time each and every day to soak in the Word, washing my mind and spirit with God's wisdom so that He can breath life into me.
As you know, the past few days prior to yesterday, I have not been at peace. I put aside my daily habits of spending time with God--reading His Word, communicating with Him--and the inner turmoil and stress increased to the point where I couldn't stand the pressure.
I am happy to tell you that I have returned to my daily habits, and also my journaling, both of which I had set aside in trying to finish my projects for Christmas.
Surprise, surprise!! Although my time with God does take discipline and what I, at the time, considered time away from finishing other projects, I have found that I actually accomplished more when I first spent my time with God--reading His Word and in prayer--asking His blessing upon my work--then when I set Him aside to pursue other things.
About craving peace--I think once we have experienced this peace we will never want to let it go, and we will crave more and more of this peace and then we will pursue it more fervently.
Beth
Kay, I think the fact that you are having a hard time understanding "Craving peace" may mean you already have it. You don't crave ice cream, after you just ate a Sundae, right?
As a mother of 2 young children, I know when they are arguing and fussing and my husband comes home grumpy - oh how I crave peace! I just want everyone to hush and give me peace.
So, if you aren't craving peace, perhaps it is because you are full of peace. Bless your sweet heart.
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