The World in Turmoil – Peace in God

Philippians 4:6-7 NASB
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

I love this Scripture because it is God’s answer to all the turmoil that surrounds us, without and within. And I believe that it is beyond our comprehension because many times, the peace that God gives us, when we do focus our hearts and minds in His Son, defies humanistic logic. Jesus knows exactly what we are going through, He understands, He walked in a body like ours and He shared of Himself intimately with His disciples. Jesus knew His disciples limitations and He knows our limitations, better than we do ourselves. 

“Do not be anxious about anything . . .” Anything is all encompassing isn’t it? Is anything too small? Is anything too big? No, I don’t believe it is. The minute that we invite Jesus into our problem, our concern, our need, things change, externally and internally. We don’t always see what happens immediately in the external, but we can experience the internal change now. And it’s not all about what we need Jesus to do for us, it’s also what we need Jesus to do in us, concerning Him. When we invite Jesus into our concern, our need, our inadequacy, the limitations that we are subject to are negated by the presence of God, who is not subject to these same limitations that we are subject to. When we reach out to God, He does and will reach out to us. There is a bonding that takes place, a trust, a recognition of who He is and that we are in His care. That connection, that expression of our faith in Him is vital.

Nothing is too small, nothing is too big, nothing.

I may not have control over my emotions all of the time. I may not have control over my thoughts all of the time. Sometimes uncertainty creeps in, sometimes the “what if’s” creep in, and we falter. Our “uncertainties” need to be laid at His feet, our “what if’s” need to be laid at His feet. He is our Shepherd, He will address our needs in Himself. He is our God, He is our rock. 

If there is such a thing as a ratio scale, for letting go and letting God, in my younger Christian days, the ratio scale for myself was way out of line. There is a difference between firmly gripping that wheel and lightly holding it so that at any moment, Jesus can take over. The difference is knowing when to switch over to auto pilot (the auto pilot being God). I may not need God’s assistance in driving to the grocery store, but if someone inadvertently hits my car, I may need God to oversee and control how I react. I also have learned that each and every day goes better, if I initially commit my day to Him, before my day actually starts. 

Remember those old “bumper stickers” that used to say, “Feel distant from God, who moved?” What does God’s Word say? Think James 4:8 NASB “Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Bonding with God requires our acknowledgement of our need of Him to help us, is all that we do, in all that we think and in all our ways. Key word being “all”. That is how God builds our trust in Him. Nothing is too small and nothing is too big. Nothing. Faith grows by trusting and trusting grows by faith. 

No, my ratio meter isn’t perfectly tilted to trust and confide in God all of the time, but it definitely has moved from where it used to be and it is definitely heading in that direction. I didn’t see the necessity of doing that in my younger days, but I definitely see the necessity more clearer now. Strange how that works.

Jesus explained this to us in Matthew 18:2-3 NASB when He said: “And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Those “Truly I say to you” statements Jesus makes are VERY important lessons. Think this is on the exam and you don’t want to forget it!

And what is one of the characteristics of a young child? They trust without hesitation, to those they have learned to trust. 

Nothing is too small, nothing is too big. Nothing.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!