Lesson 23: Joy’s peace
Philippians 4:1-23 – www.bible.com/bible/59/php.4
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
One of God’s most amazing gifts to us, His children, is a peaceful heart. Some years ago an art teacher challenged his students to paint the most perfect picture of peace they could imagine. Some painted a woodland scene where deer or cattle grazed peacefully and the sky was blue with no sign of storm. Some painted an ocean-scape where no billows rose from great winds, and birds hung peacefully between earth and sky as ships floated on calm seas. Some painted flowers, some painted a mother’s face smiling over her child, and some painted children asleep.
But from all these the art teacher chose as the greatest example of peace a painting where storm clouds hung dark and threatening over a sea whose waves frantically lashed against the shores rocks. In a hole of a great rock, high above the sea’s restless roar, the artist had painted a dove with its head under its wing, sound asleep. This kind of peace comes from God.
*When have you ever experienced this kind of peace during a storm in your life?
Storms for us are rarely the kind which bring lightning and thunder and rain; rather they are storms coming from upset or trouble, and from which we should expect discouragement or despair. But God’s way, as we have already seen in the last few lessons, is to give us His peace when we also are at peace with our Christian brothers and sisters and when we are giving thanks to God for and in all things.
But God’s peace is not passive. As we read in our verses today, His peace becomes our fortress to guard our hearts and minds in the storm. Some years ago this author was in a situation where illness – according to man’s understanding – should have resulted in great mental distress. In fact, doctors prescribed medication intended only as tranquilizers, because they could not find medications to help me sleep. Without sleep for long periods of time our bodies and minds will quit functioning properly. Yet, God’s peace guarded not only my physical body but also my mind in ways I cannot, even today, explain. His peace can do this not only in mental distress or physical illness, but also in spiritual battles we face. Many times, if we only take time to look, we will find God’s peace protecting our hearts and minds in places where we will readily admit we cannot go in our own strength or ability.
*For further study, read the following Scriptures and write how this might apply to your life today:
Isaiah 32:17-18;
Romans 8:26-39;
Ephesians 2:14-17