The image is a piece of colouring art by my friend Ben, who sometimes allows me to help, when we meet for coffee.
Monday
Isaiah 26.3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Or the older translation “whose mind is stayed on Thee.” Stability in a destabilised world, peace when everything suddenly seems uncertain; this is part of Isaiah’s song of praise, sung to God. This isn’t the preacher telling whoever listens to have peace, as if that were achievable. This is a promise. Trust is when we take seriously the promises of God, believing God is faithful. Our mind is steadfast because God is steadfast. Peace isn’t manufactured inside us, it comes to us as gift, grace, and mercy. Perfect peace rests on belief that the end goal is in God’s hands, whose grip is strong.
Tuesday
Isaiah 26. 4 Trust in the Lord for ever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”
Exuberant hope is built on faith with deep foundation pillars. Isaiah looks around at a people 70 years into exile. Every day and everywhere the symbols of empire taunt their memories of home. “Never stop trusting God”, he says. History is fluid and everything changes; God, on the other hand is rock, everlasting rock. Faith is the steadfast set of the mind towards God, who is as unchanging as the Rock of Ages in his gracious care and purposeful wisdom. Isaiah calls us to long term faith, a constant, resilient, determined set of mind and heart that goes on hoping in God, our Rock!
Wednesday
John 14.27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”
Those words were spoken to disciples stunned by talk of betrayal, and Jesus’ impending arrest and coming death. “Don’t worry, it will be fine” is never likely to persuade people out of their worst fears! Peace has to have an anchor point, bedrock for foundations, deep roots into realities more powerful than what we fear. Not just any peace, “My peace”, says Jesus. Not peace that passes, but peace that passes understanding. Peace like a hand stretched across the waves hauling to safety. Peace that commands the waves “Be still!” For troubled and fearful hearts, peace is the promised presence of one who goes with us, stands with us, and stays with us.
Thursday
Colossians 3.15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Peace is one of the authenticating living documents of the church’s identity. Not just any peace – the peace of Christ. Peace is not a by-product of our ability to get on with each other. The peace of Christ is reconciling peace, brought about by the costly forgiveness that doesn’t give up on relationships. As members of one body, the Body of Christ, we are exemplars of God’s peace-making, a community of reconciled reconcilers, ambassadors of Christ, who is our peace.
Friday
Colossians 3.15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
That word ‘rule’ is worth a second post! Paul uses a word with which many of us will be familiar: “to referee, to be an umpire, to make a decision.” And the referee’s decision is final! The peace of Christhas the last word in every disagreement. Why? Because we were called, by God, to peace. The Christian community was born through the peace-making work of Christ on the cross, and is now called, summoned by God, to live into and live out of that dearly bought peace of Christ. I love that wee pastoral nudge Paul can’t resist! “And be thankful.” Christ is the referee, not us!
Saturday
James 3.18 “Peacemakers who sow in peace will raise a harvest of righteousness.”
Trust James to get to the point and be embarrassingly practical! He insists that our faith is as much about who we are and what we do, as it is about what we believe and think and feel about Jesus. Following on from all we have been thinking about this week, about God’s peace as gift, the peace that reassures troubled hearts, the peace of Christ, James gets us talking about peace-making that aims for results. When misunderstandings are cleared up; grievances are forgiven; conciliation is not grudged but humbly sought; words that have wounded are taken back; apologies are celebrated as signs of strength and spiritual health. Peace is not our private project or possession – it is a calling, the vocational training of the heart towards Christ.
Sunday
James 3.17 “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
These are the qualities of the peacemaker. The peace of Christ to which we are called requires of us a whole cluster of Christ-like character traits, starting with wisdom that comes from heaven. In other words all this is both gift and discipline, faith and works, the outworking of the peace of Christ in our lives. Christ is the referee who has the final word on how we conduct ourselves in every relationship to others. This verse can be a powerful corrective when used at the end of the day as a review of how we have played our part in being the peace of Christ to others. “May the Lord of peace himself give us peace at all times and in every way; and the Lord be with us all.”
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