Jesus is Our Peace

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” – (John 16:33, NIV)

“I have told you these things so that you can have peace in Me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” – (John 16:33, ERV)

“I have told you these things so that you will be whole and at peace. In this world, you will be plagued with times of trouble, but you need not fear; I have triumphed over this corrupt world order.” – (John 16:33, VOICE)

No matter what comes our way, we can know and experience peace in Jesus. He already knew that we would face the troubles that come from a broken world, yet He endured them all on the cross and knows every trial and challenge that will come our way. Jesus, in His infinite love, has promised to be present to help and be our peace. The peace that comes from Jesus is not simply the absence of war, but is an overwhelming, all-encompassing, assurance that He is with us and for us, and because of that, calm comes and covers our entire countenance, no matter what is going on around us. True peace is internal, not external. May we ever seek the Lord to be our peace, no matter what we face or find ourselves in, for He is good and has promised to be present to be our peace.

Jesus has promised,

To be near, bring peace;

Calm in His presence,

Love’s blessed release.

It does not depend,

On our circumstance;

It is internal,

Not random nor chance.

For the peace of God,

Goes beyond what’s known;

Soothing to the core;

As His love is shown.

Even in chaos,

The peace of God comes;

Lays hold of our heart,

As His will be done.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to not only experience the world, be in the world and overcome the world, but so that we would have One that already knows and understands everything we face, and can provide the peace we need to keep moving forward. Thank You Jesus, that Your perfect peace is not dependent on what is going on around us, for it is Your goodness, going on inside us. Forgive us for not slowing down to recognize the peace that is present in You. Teach us to turn our heart to You, so that we may know and experience Your perfect peace in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us in ways that share the peace that our hearts experience in Your presence, so that they too, may know the peace that comes from You alone. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our peace in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

Hope in the Promise

“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” – (Luke 2:29-32, NIV)

“Now, Lord, You can let me, Your servant, die in peace as You said. I have seen with my own eyes how You will save Your people. Now all people can see Your plan. He is a light to show Your way to the other nations. And He will bring honor to Your people Israel.” – (Luke 2:29-32, ERV)

“God, You can now release Your servant; release me in peace as You promised. With my own eyes I’ve seen Your salvation; it’s now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealed light to the non-Jewish nations, and of glory for Your people Israel.” – (Luke 2:29-32, MSG)

Simeon, who had lived in prayerful expectancy, had been shown by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. Can you imagine waiting your whole life for a promise, and then recognizing the moment that it had been fulfilled? Mary and Joseph had brought Jesus to the temple on the eighth day after His birth, and the above verses are Simeon’s words of praise for his promise provided. Mary and Joseph had already been visited by angels and shepherds, and now were witnessing one who had waited his whole life to see God’s promised hope, was holding their baby and declaring praise for who He was. Simeon saw Jesus with so much more than human eyes. His heart heard hope in the sweet small breaths of the Savior, and his spirit sensed the significance of the One whom he was holding. God gave Simeon insight, wisdom and words that would make a lasting imprint on the hearts of Mary and Joseph. This is the sort of joy and celebration that we ought to hold as we embrace this most sacred season. Jesus came to earth to save us and was the promise that had been so long awaited, fulfilled. Despite the things that go on around us, be it challenge, loss, struggle, or strife, may we pause and recognize the One who has experienced all and took it upon Himself so that we might know light, life, hope, peace, joy and love that last forever. Glory to God in the highest, and upon us all, may His favor rest.

Hope in the promise,

Spoken long before;

Joy through revealing,

The One we adore.

Promise awaited,

With joy, realized;

The Savior had come,

Seen with his own eyes.

The One who arrived,

The hope for the world;

Made the way for us,

Fulfillment observed.

May we take the joy,

The love, hope, and peace;

Into the new year,

His presence increased.

Sing praise, all the earth,

Our Savior has come;

His light unto us,

The Most Holy One.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your one and only Son to us so that we might come to know and understand the goodness of Your love. Thank You for time during this sacred season to gather and remember just how good You truly are. Forgive us for the things that we allow to distract us from the reason for this season. Teach us to lean into You and receive all that You offer, so that we might be bearers of Your loving light. Show us how to love those around us like You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we make room to recognize who You are and how You love us all beyond what our hearts can hold. Amen.

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

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. – Micah 7:7

Unto Us

For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

For a child will be born for us, a Son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. – (Isaiah 9:6, HCSB)

Hope of all hopes, dream of our dreams, a child is born, sweet-breathed; a Son is given to us: a living gift. And even now, with tiny features and dewy hair, He is great. The power of leadership, and the weight of authority, will rest on His shoulders. His name? His name we’ll know in many ways – He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Dear Father everlasting, ever-present never-failing, Master of Wholeness, Prince of Peace. – (Isaiah 9:6, VOICE)

The arrival. Heaven coming to earth in the form of a baby who would grow and become the Savior of the world, was foretold centuries prior to His birth. All of the anticipation and joy that comes with a newborn baby was experienced by Mary and Joseph. However, God did not just make the arrival known to Mary and Joseph, for He placed a star in the sky to indicate where the baby lay, and had heavenly hosts announce His coming to shepherds in the fields nearby as they watched their sheep at night. The living gift. God with us is a gift that knows no end. Each name foretold has proven true again and again throughout the ages. Jesus indeed is a Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. He comforts us in our time of need, He is more powerful than anything that might come against us, He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and He is the place where we find our peace. Though today is set aside as a day to celebrate His arrival, everyday that we draw breath ought to be spent in thanksgiving for all that He is as He grants us hope, joy, love and peace no matter what surrounds us. May we each take pause today to recognize and give thanks for the hope that we have in Him, the joy that is found in knowing Who is for us, the love that He gives unconditionally, and the peace that is found when our hearts and minds are set on Him. Merry Christmas to all, for He has come!

Unto all of us,

A Savior has come;

Blessed Messiah,

The battle’s been won.

For that sweet baby,

In whom hope did lay;

The promised Savior,

Who’d take sin away.

No more a baby,

He’s now on the throne;

Eternal Father,

In whom we are known.

May we each seek Him,

And find sweet release;

As we trust in Him,

The great Prince of Peace.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to save us. Thank You that He came humbly so that He might know and understand what we experience in our broken humanity. Thank You that He took on the weight of the world so that we might know hope, joy, love and peace. Forgive us for allowing the distractions of the world to divert our eyes from the real reason for the season. Show us how to honor You in all that we do today and always. Lead us to love as You love so that all whom we encounter would sense and experience hope, joy, love and peace in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we celebrate Your arrival and Your eternal roles as our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Amen.

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

Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. – Luke 2:11

Extraordinary Through the Ordinary

And the angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” – (Luke 1:28, HCSB)

The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord is with you; you are very special to Him.” – (Luke 1:28, ERV)

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Rejoice, beloved young woman, for the Lord is with you and you are anointed with great favor.” – (Luke 1:28, TPT)

I imagine this whole experience was a bit surreal to Mary. A visit from a messenger of God, followed by words that called you favored and anointed. She was a young girl, likely in her mid-teens, and engaged to be married. Was she an ordinary girl with extraordinary faith? Or perhaps there was something in her heart of worship that demonstrated her faithful and willing heart that was ready to respond with her very best yes? Either way, of all the women of child-bearing age in the world, God saw and chose her to carry His Son. As we gain further glimpses of her heart through the conception, development in the womb, time of arrival, and throughout the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, her character is revealed as one who is ever faithful to the Lord. She had extraordinary insight into who God is through a seemingly ordinary life. Mary witnessed God in everyday circumstances as she raised Jesus, who was without sin. There were many reasons to rejoice throughout her entire experience, yet there were times of great grief as well. Ultimately, she came to know and understand the plan and purpose of the promised baby that would become the Savior of the world. May we reflect with awe and wonder at the amazing ways that God came near to ordinary people to show us His great love.

Called highly favored,

Chosen to be blessed;

A holy calling,

That might cause a mess.

A virgin promised,

To Joseph to wed;

Yet called to be more,

As the angel said.

God knew the people,

Who’d answer the call;

Despite how things looked,

To one and to all.

Ever He’s faithful,

The Lord God above;

Who sent us His Son,

To show us His love.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You do extraordinary things through ordinary people who are willing to say yes to You and the plans You have. Thank You that You sent Your Son through ordinary people with extraordinary faith. Forgive us for our fear and lack of faith when things we know we ought to do seem inconceivable. Teach us to trust You to lead us in all that You have for us, and to trust that Your plans are for good. Show us how to love and honor You in all that we say and do, and help us to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the amazing things You do through ordinary people who trust You well. Amen.

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

Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let this thing you have said happen to me!” Then the angel went away. – Luke 1:38

Respond and Be Transformed

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – (James 1:22, NIV) 

Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. – (James 1:22, ERV) 

Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! – (James 1:22, TPT) 

We are called to listen and act upon the Word of God. He gives us instructions as to how to live our lives according to His will. What good does it do if we hear the words, yet choose to do nothing about it? The only way that we can truly become who we were created to be, is if we listen, learn, and act upon all that God is calling us to become. Our transformation is an ongoing process that comes through reading, hearing, and obeying that which is asked of us to love God and love people well. The more we know and understand, the better equipped we are to move forward in the goodness and grace that God has granted, so that we may live out our days as He intended. May we ever seek the Lord and spend time in His word, listening and acting upon what He calls us to do. Our salvation is not earned, but our transformation takes work and a heart willing to obey His word. 

Don’t merely listen, 

To God’s holy word; 

But choose to respond, 

To all that is heard. 

Through love and His grace, 

He opens our eyes; 

To the way to live, 

True love realized. 

For as we allow, 

All that the Lord says; 

To transform our hearts, 

The more we show His. 

Lord, help us listen, 

And respond in love; 

To all You’re asking, 

So we may become. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to not only listen to You and Your Word, but You ask us to respond and allow Your words to transform our hearts, minds and actions. Thank You that as we seek and respond to You, You change our hearts to reflect Yours. Forgive us for the times that we have listened and heard Your heart, but chose not to respond and act upon all that You were asking. Teach us to trust You more, so that all that we do and say may shine Your light of love each day. Show us how to best love those around us in the ways You are calling us to love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we listen and act upon all You are asking, so that we do not deceive ourselves, but live in truth and light and love. Amen. 

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

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. – John 13:34 

Train in Truth

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. – (1 Timothy 4:7, NIV)

People tell silly stories that don’t agree with God’s truth. Don’t follow what these stories teach. But teach yourself to be devoted to God. – (1 Timothy 4:7, ERV)

Be quick to abstain from senseless traditions and legends, but instead be engaged in the training of truth that brings righteousness. – (1 Timothy 4:7, TPT)

We live in a day and age where there is so much out there, vying for our attention, that if our heart and mind are not set secure in the truth of God, we will be pulled in so many directions that we will have no direction at all. God calls us to set our sights on Him, the author and finisher of our faith. As we do, we find our hearts and minds protected and directed away from the senseless things that would tempt our attention and cause fear and anxiety, rather than faith and trust in what is true. This is why it is so important that we know and understand the word of God. When His truth is rooted and established in our hearts, we are easily able to decipher what is true and from Him, and that which is not. May we ever invest time in the word of God, so that we may know and understand what is good, lovely, righteous and true.

As for a mom update: One of my favorite things is when I receive a text from Mom. Yesterday, just as I was leaving work to go run, I discovered a sweet “hello, I’m thinking of you” sort of message that made me wish even more, that mom was not such a long drive away. I gave her a call, and we were able to catch up on the day’s happenings, thus far. She is continuing to work hard, as the next step for her will be the transition to outpatient therapies, rather than in-home therapies that she is currently doing.

Follow not stories,

Or legends or tales;

As how to live life,

In the end, they’ll fail.

For God is the truth,

The way and the light;

Our path provider,

He shows us what’s right.

In everything,

Seek God earnestly;

For He’ll point the way,

To live fruitfully.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Source and Provider. Thank You that Your word is truth. Thank You that as we seek You and invest time in Your word, You make Your path more plain to us. Forgive us for allowing our hearts or minds to be distracted by all of the things that vie for our attention that do not point us back to You. Teach us to seek You first, so that we may look through Your lens at all that is placed before us. Show us how to love well, all those whom are in our lives. Help us to be Your hands, feet, heart and voice to those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and seek You and Your word to lead and guide us in the ways we are meant to go. Amen.

 

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

 

Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. – Psalm 25:5

Listen for Wisdom

(If you) turn your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding – then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. – (Proverbs 2:2 & 5, NIV) 

Listen to wisdom, and do your best to understand. If you do this, you will understand what it means to respect the Lord, and you will come to know God. – (Proverbs 2:2 & 5, ERV) 

So, train your heart to listen when I speak and open your spirit wide to expand your discernment – then pass it on to your sons and daughters. Then you will discover the fear of the Lord and find the true knowledge of God. – (Proverbs 2:2 & 5, TPT) 

 

Wisdom, knowledge and understanding come when we turn to God and seek Him. It requires that we purposely pursue the One who holds the key to all. Just as it is with people around us, we only get to know and understand them if we spend intentional time together. God waits willingly and lovingly for us to seek Him. When we do, we begin to understand who He is and how He loves. May we ever seek the Lord and set aside time to learn and grow with Him, as He opens our understanding to know more of Him. 

 

The wisdom of God,

What we ought pursue; 

For His heart’s made known, 

To all those who do. 

Seek to understand, 

For that is the space; 

Where He will reveal, 

His wisdom and grace. 

For great is His Name, 

In every way; 

In awe and wonder, 

May we choose to pray. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You, You are faithful to meet us and impart to us, new wisdom and understanding of who You are and how You love. Forgive us for the times that we need pursue You and do not. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek Your wisdom in all things, with reverence and awe. Show us how to love those around us in ways that are best for each individual whom we encounter. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You for understanding and insight in all things, and view You with proper awe and reverence. Amen.

 

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

 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise. – Psalm 111:10