December 22nd, 2020
Family Tree Devotional Series - Week 4 – Peace - Tuesday - Amie Donovan
Peace Be Still
Scripture Reading – Psalms 44:23-24 (NIV)
“Awake, LORD! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?”
Peace is a concept we read throughout the Bible. We see unique words like Shalom and Eirene. Eirene is mentioned ninety-one times in the New Testament, and twenty-four of those are in the gospels alone! Biblical peace describes those who love the word of God. Peace is a gift God gives you as opposed to something you obtain or earn. Peace links with love that knows no end. Scripturally we learn peace is not the absence of war but the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Why, then, do we struggle so often to truly feel and experience the presence of peace in our days? Maybe you relate more with the words referenced by the psalmist in the scripture above over the definitions I just gave you. Is your heart crying out, “Awake, LORD! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?”
I want you to know you are not alone. Jesus’ closest friends would question whether or not Jesus even cared about them from time to time. In the book of Mark, chapter 4, we read about one time in particular. The disciples and Jesus were on a boat, and a fierce storm came upon them. Jesus took a nap while the disciples were panicking. They woke him up and exclaimed, “Do you even care if we drown?!” Jesus awoke and told the sea, “Peace, be still.” The storm ceased, and he asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
In the hard days of life, our flesh wants to scream out, “God! Are you even here? Do you even care?” Forgetting that our peace is not contingent on the emotions we feel or the environment around us. Instead, it is anchored in a God who can at any moment call out “Peace be still,” and even the waves obey. In this life, we can have spiritual peace knowing regardless of what is around us, God is within us, and he hasn’t and never will leave us to drown.
Peace Be Still
Scripture Reading – Psalms 44:23-24 (NIV)
“Awake, LORD! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?”
Peace is a concept we read throughout the Bible. We see unique words like Shalom and Eirene. Eirene is mentioned ninety-one times in the New Testament, and twenty-four of those are in the gospels alone! Biblical peace describes those who love the word of God. Peace is a gift God gives you as opposed to something you obtain or earn. Peace links with love that knows no end. Scripturally we learn peace is not the absence of war but the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Why, then, do we struggle so often to truly feel and experience the presence of peace in our days? Maybe you relate more with the words referenced by the psalmist in the scripture above over the definitions I just gave you. Is your heart crying out, “Awake, LORD! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?”
I want you to know you are not alone. Jesus’ closest friends would question whether or not Jesus even cared about them from time to time. In the book of Mark, chapter 4, we read about one time in particular. The disciples and Jesus were on a boat, and a fierce storm came upon them. Jesus took a nap while the disciples were panicking. They woke him up and exclaimed, “Do you even care if we drown?!” Jesus awoke and told the sea, “Peace, be still.” The storm ceased, and he asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
In the hard days of life, our flesh wants to scream out, “God! Are you even here? Do you even care?” Forgetting that our peace is not contingent on the emotions we feel or the environment around us. Instead, it is anchored in a God who can at any moment call out “Peace be still,” and even the waves obey. In this life, we can have spiritual peace knowing regardless of what is around us, God is within us, and he hasn’t and never will leave us to drown.
Posted in Family Tree Devos
Recent
Archive
2024
January
New Year, Fresh StartA Good Plan for the New YearCall on MeHope Has a NameHolidays in Rear ViewHolinessHow to Have our Mind TransformedNew Year, New YouA Pattern of RenewalVictory in JesusFear Knot? Fear Not.Seek the LORDBetterWhere to Place your TrustRadical GraceGenerosity God's WayThe Poor and NeedyThe Open Hand ConceptA Need that Burdens your HeartHow's Your Heart?Who Are You?Testing in the Wilderness
February
CallingDon't HideWhere You AreJust the Two of UsInvesting in the Kingdom of GodThe Golden RuleAgainst the GrainUnexplainable JoyThe Power of God's WordFollow MeThe God of the ImpossibleOut on a LimbWe All Face ItTrue JusticeGatherGood SoilDon't Put God in a BoxBe BraveCulture CheckFeed His Sheep. Love His People.Jesus Revealed
March
Jesus in His GloryNot QuantityHow Much God Loves ChildrenWhere Two or Three are GatheredLike Little ChildrenFocusAmazing GraceBeing Confronted By JesusKingdom FruitWedding AttireCome with a Hungry HeartLive and Lead Like HimTough LoveBe on your GuardKeep WatchTalentsSlow DownBeing Led by the SpiritKingdom WatchThey Are Us. We Are Them.Jesus Gave His All For UsHe is Risen, Indeed
2023
January
Daily PowerOur Heart MusclesBlessing Our NeighborsStay in the FightTime to ChangeWell, this is Practical!Keep it to YourselfHumility in FastingSupernatural WisdomMore of YouThese Crazy PeopleCrazy PeopleConvictionOverwhelmedAs Legitimate as Porcelain PieHunger For MoreLove the LightA Fulfillment that DeliversSatisfactionContent With What IsHow Great is Our GodEnough
February
Categories
Tags
no tags
No Comments