Wear My Peace

Wear My Peace grabbed my attention yesterday in my devotional reading. How often do we hustle and bustle about, thinking only about the next moment, the next day, next week, next month, next year? I certainly do. Notice the capital letters. My--the eternal, only God deserves the capital letter. Jesus told His disciples, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. The next capital: Peace. Jesus told His disciples again...Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Only Jesus' peace will give that true peace.

Really? I can only speak from personal experience. I have had Peace in the most excrutiating times. I think God knew me best and brought these experiences into my life to help me learn to Wear His Peace. He gave me Peace when my marriage was in trouble. When they told me, "Your baby is dead." When my husband suffered a killing stroke. When they told me, "He's gone." When I sat in a faculty meeting and they said, "We're closing this school. You won't have a job after this school year." He gave me Peace in the happy, good times. Those good times seem even better after a hard time. They really do.

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say I did not want to Wear My Peace when they told me my second husband was brain dead. But I've donned that Peace, for I've learned it's the best thing to do.

I've learned that to Wear My Peace in the good and bad times is better, though not always easy. Jesus was right when He said, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. It is really true. Not just good--but better!!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Enjoy the Peace only Jesus gives.

The Willamette Valley