Purposeful Peace

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. – (Matthew 5:9, NIV)

Great blessings belong to those who work to bring peace. God will call them His sons and daughters. – (Matthew 5:9, ERV)

You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. Thant’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. – (Matthew 5:9, MSG)

When we truly seek the Lord to lead us in His perfect peace, we are equipped and empowered to bring His peace wherever we go. People recognize there is a difference when we operate from a position as a peacemaker, rather than as one who seek only to be right or to be heard. Peacemakers prioritize people. Their mode of operation is loving kindness and grace. Above all else, when we extend God’s peace to those around us, He calls us His own sons and daughters. Our place is in His family, and our hearts begin to more closely resemble His own as we follow after Him. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us in His peace in all things, and may we recognize and receive who we are as His beloved children.

Cooperation,

And purposeful peace;

Are brought together,

As grace is released.

The Lord equips us,

To in love, bring peace;

Living with purpose,

His good does increase.

The more we choose love,

As it’s meant to be;

The more peace will spread,

Intentionally.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to be peacemakers. Thank You that as we seek You, You equip and empower us to pass on Your perfect peace to those around us. Forgive us for the times that we have allowed our egos to get in the way of showing love and grace as You intended. Teach us to depend on You to provide wisdom, strength, and peace in all things. Show us how to love those around us in ways that promote Your perfect peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and those around us, and by Your grace, extend Your purposeful peace wherever we go. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. – Ephesians 2:14

His Hand in the Storm

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. – (Psalm 18:16, NIV)

He reached down from above and grabbed me. He pulled me from the deep water. – (Psalm 18:16, ERV)

He then reached down from heaven, all the way from the sky to the sea. He reached down into my darkness to rescue me! He took me out of my calamity and chaos and drew me to Himself, taking me from the depths of my despair! – (Psalm 18:16, TPT)

I love the imagery found in this particular verse; it is so powerful! Being an incredibly visual creature, I can picture a giant, strong, yet gentle hand, reaching down from heaven, to pull me out of the raging sea in the midst of a fierce storm. Though my current status is not tumultuous nor terribly storm-like, I know for many, it is. I have been in several raging storms throughout my life thus far, and each time, God has been faithful to be present and bring His peace, drawing me unto Himself to calm the storm within me. My circumstances seldom changed right away, but the depth of despair, desperation and isolation, did. As God takes our hand, He leads us in His loving kindness to places of peace. Sometimes, He has to guide us from deep waters to a safe harbor, yet other times He simply speaks to the storm within us, and says, “Be still.” Our current season feels long, as one day runs into the next, and into the next. Staying in one place for a long period of time can create a sort of storm within us. The greatest combatant to getting stuck in the deep end is to remember what keeps us afloat. Gratitude, faith, and hope are terrific navigation tools when storms come our way. May we look to the Lord to take our hand and pull us from the places that do not keep our head and heart above water, and trust in Him to be our help and hope as we navigate each new day that we are blessed with on this journey.

In troubled waters,

The deep raging seas;

The Lord reaches down,

His love rescues me.

His strong, gentle hand,

Extends out to mine;

A powerful peace,

No words can define.

Though storms keep raging,

Knowing He is near;

Quiets storms within,

Removing the fear.

No matter how great,

The storm will not last;

But for a season,

Then this too, shall pass.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gentle, yet powerful love that You have for all. Thank You that as we call on You from the midst of raging storms, You reach out Your strong hand to pull us out to a place of peace. Thank You that You still the storm within us, even if the circumstances around us continue. Thank You that all things right now are temporary, and will come to a close. Forgive us for thinking that the hardest seasons will never end, or that we are in them on our own. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would be ever aware of Your presence and Your peace; for You never leave us nor forsake us. Show us how to love those around us in ways that offer peace, love and hope, reminding them that better days will come again. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust Your strong hands to keep us safe through the storms, and keep hope in knowing that what is yet to come is far better than what is right now. Amen.

 

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. – Psalm 46:1