Like A River Glorious

This week was kind of rough for me. My infertility struck again, furnishing me with the hope and belief that this time would be different, and then blindsiding me with the harsh reminder that I am not made like other people who can plan their families; how many children they want, even how closely spaced in age they are. I was so sure this was it, too.

"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick" Prov 13:12

My heart was pretty sick this weekend. This was (I found out) perfect timing for Revival services at our church which began today! Feeling ill and emotionally spent, I went to church and heard a message that God must have whispered in the preacher's ear just for me. I think I cried through the whole thing, it was that on-target. Pastor Jonathan Stanley from Illinois preached a message on The Peace of God. Here is the gist of it:

1. Peace with God (salvation)

Eph 2:13-17

Rom 5:1-2

2. Peace of God~through faith and dependence on God, this is the kind of peace that circumstances cannot shake.

Phil 4:6-7 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."~~Peace from God in the midst of my trying circumstances comes by unloading my burdens to Christ with thanksgiving, and He exchanges my cares, concerns, and heartaches for peace!

Isaiah 26:3

Mark 4:35-41~it's interesting to me the fact that this passage has been preached on 3 times by 3 different preachers in the last month at our church; you think God wants me to get it through my head? :) This is the account of the storm on the sea and the disciples waking Christ up, accusing Him, "Carest thou not that we perish?" and Christ responds, "...how is it that ye have no faith?" The disciples were desiring that Jesus fix the circumstances (which He did in that case), but they had no faith to deal with the inner storm caused by their trial. Christ knew they would face that trial, but He led them there anyway.

John 14:27

Col 3:15

3. Peace in Obedience to God

Ps 119:165

Is 48:18

Phil 4:9

Prov 16:7

Mal 2:4-6

Yesterday was not a peaceful day for me. My mind and heart were churning a mile a minute, most of the thoughts being accusatory in nature to God. I wanted to believe He had done me wrong, that I was justified in my distrust of Him. I hated my circumstances and was forming my own, "Carest thou not?" charge against God. Foolish, foolish girl! I had no peace, believing once again the lie that peace comes from having all my ducks in a row, having life turn out the way I choose, not in trusting God in the midst of my trials. Perfect peace and rest come from being stayed upon Jehovah, not from being able to have as many children as I'd like! Because then if I could have as many children as I'd like, there'd be another, different circumstance that didn't go "my way" and I'd be back shaking my fist at God again. Peace and joy cannot be found in my circumstances. Lord, help me learn these lessons! Help me to have perfect peace even in the midst of my storms!!

Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,

Over all victorious, in its bright increase;

Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,

Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest

Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,

Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;

Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,

Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,

Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;

We may trust Him fully all for us to do;

They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

Finally, you may wonder at the photo I've chosen for this post. In his message, the preacher today gave the illustration of a charge to artists to come up with a picture representing Peace. Two entries were given: one depicting a calm, serene mountain lake setting. Beautiful. Absent from alarm. The other showed a craggy mountain, raging waterfall, stormy clouds. Out over the precipice of that mountain was a bird's nest precariously resting in the crook of a gnarled tree branch. In the nest was a mother bird with her chicks, shading them with her wings; the chicks were sleeping. The second painting was chosen! When asked why, the answer was given that Peace is not in absence of tumult, but in knowing that we can trust in the arms of our Heavenly Father. Secure. And we can rest there!

Amen.