peace

In the wake of the world shutting down, we only begin to realize the weight of what is happening. This is an event that is affecting the entire world. Not one continent isn’t affected. It seems like every day, they take another liberty away for the safety of us all. Another person is infected, and new rules are implemented, and fears escalate. The hope of a solution slips away as the joy of life is replaced by social distancing. Our peace is overwhelmed by the fear of what is coming tomorrow. But there is an answer. Only one answer: Christ alone. He is our hope, our joy, and our peace in this time of uncertainty.

Christ: Our Only Hope

“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” – Psalm 33:22

We turn to many things when we face trials. We hope in our sources of comfort: our money, friends, family, and jobs. Many of us have that fortress of solitude that we escape to in order to relieve stress. All of those places have been affected by this pandemic. Those sacred hideaways like gyms and social clubs have been closed down. Many people are now working from home, jobs are cut to part-time, furloughed, or they have been relieved for an indefinite period of time. Meeting places like restaurants are now only drive-thru, and everywhere else is restricted to fewer than 10. All the sources we have for ‘hope of comfort’ are slipping away. Going home is now the only option.

When we seem to lose grip on everything in our life, we need to hold on to the one thing, the only thing we can hold onto, and that is Jesus Christ. Don’t get the false assumption that God is punishing out of anger. The world gets shaken up, so its focus turns where it belongs, back to the Savior. We get shaken up, so our hope turns back to where it belongs, back on Christ.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” – Psalm 20:7

 

Christ: Our Fullness of Joy

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” – Psalm 51:12

We have lost our first love: Jesus Christ. We have allowed all of the stuff of life to take His place. If we are to get the joy back in our lives, we need to turn our lives back to Him. Much like David did in this recorded Psalm. He realized his sin and immediately repented. Is this world shake up the result of sin? I cannot be the judge of that; only God can know that. But our hearts, regardless of sin, desire a deeper relationship with the Lord. Only Christ is the source of fullness of joy. And guess who is responsible for our joy status… we are.

We can have joy by being joyful. Sing the praises of God, our Savior. Romans 12:12 tells us to rejoice in hope and patient in trials. James 1:2 says to be joyful when we face trials. We can still praise God in the middle of any crisis. Why? Because God is still in control. He knows what is going on, He knows what He is doing, and He will see us through this. Every time. Praise be His name!!

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice.” – Philippians 4:4

 

Christ: Our Sense of Peace

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” – Thessalonians 3:16

Only the one who holds peace can give peace. Just as we cannot get hope from the places and things we no longer have access to, we can’t obtain peace from them either. We receive peace from having comfort. There may seem like there is little hope of finding peace. Jobs are in limbo, the stir craziness of being practically locked down, and the uncertainty of tomorrow. All we see are the waves around us, and the Master is sleeping in the stern… or is He? Carest thou not that we perish? We know better, we have read the end of the story. We know the answer to the storm. It is always, “Peace, be still.”

We can claim that in the middle of this storm, but we still have to go through it. We don’t know how long this storm will last, but Christ will see us through it. His hand will guide us, for He is with us in the boat. And regardless of where the port will be, if we cast the anxious feelings we have about our current situation on Him, and go to him instead of our ‘go-tos,’ we can have the peace we desperately seek.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:7

 

The Final Word

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13

Since most of us are home most of the time, for many of us are under a ‘stay order,’ we now have time to sit and think. Hopefully, we can break away from screen time and streaming and spend quality time with the Lord. It is in the stillness that we find those moments of peace. They don’t call it peace and quiet for nothing. Maybe in some way, all of this can be a wake-up call to getting closer to our Savoir. All our gods are falling over, and the one true God is the only one standing. Only Christ is our hope that gives us true joy that brings real peace in this time of global uncertainty.