October 8, 2013 … God’s Peace

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 281

Devotional Song: Go to this link -  I beg you; … please take the time to meditate on this story and powerful song, presented in a worshipping church, … the classic old hymn It Is Well With My Soul, … and the story of Haratio Spafford, the writer in 1873 of this hymn, and how Spafford and his wife, Anna, found God’s peace in the midst of life’s tragedies and trials.

Highlight meditation passage – John 16: 33 : [Jesus in His upper room discourse gives assurance to His Disciples – and to you and me - of His peace.] …  
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 
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 Highlight reading study of John, Chapter 16: Go to this link … 
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Reference Passage #1: Isaiah 26: 3 … [God’s prescription for His peace.] … [NKJV] …
3 You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in You.

Reference Passage #2: Philippians 4: 6-7 … [One more of God’s peace promises] … [NKJV] …  
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Reference Passage #3: Matthew 11: 28-30 … [Jesus praying for all to come to Him and receive rest for their souls.] … [NLT] …  
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Reference Passage #4: 1st Peter 5: 7 … [Giving our Lord all our cares to find His peace.] … [NLT] …  
7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 

My Journal for Today: Got troubles in your life? Are you experiencing some storm of trials or tribulations which is causing you great unrest? Or perhaps, right now, God is providing you a respite of peace from the storms of life.

No matter where you are in life, I think you’d agree with Jesus (well, even if you don’t agree, it’s true!) that, in His words to His Disciples from John 16: 33 (in bold above), all Christians are going to experience troubles in our lives, … i.e., those storms which disrupt the course of our walk with/for Christ. But in my devotional this morning, I was reminded of the story of Horatio Spafford, the author of the poem from which the old hymn, It Is Well With My Soul, came to us. I hope you’ve gone to the God Tube piece to which I’ve linked you above to hear their story and the hymn; because it’s a poignant reminder of what Jesus was trying to get across to His followers just before He went to the ultimate storm, … i.e., His death on the cross … or from His wonderful prayer in Matthew 11, a portion of which is copied above.

Jesus states clearly that we, who are saved by faith by His blood, will experience unrest and trials in this life. However, His promise is that He has overcome the world and any trial we may experience. Therefore, as the Apostle Paul preached to the Philippians (in Phil. 4: 7), we can have His peace, which surpasses all human understanding, if (and it’s a big “IF”) we’re willing to trust in God and as Isaiah and Peter wrote [see above], we’re willing to keep our mind on Him because He so cares for us.

So, my friend, if you’re facing a trial today, maybe even some storm in life which seems overwhelming, remember the horrors experienced by Horatio Spafford, who, in the midst of his horror and loss, was able to write, “It is well with my soul.”

My Prayer for Today … Oh, yes, Lord, it is well with my soul! … Amen

Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online blog entitled Today God Is First [TGIF], authored by Os Hillman. If you GO TO THIS LINK  on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read Hillman’s TGIF blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.