Finding Peace in Chaos and Fear

Yesterday, the first day of Lent, I was cross county skiing at Blueberry Hill in Goshen, VT.  The beauty of the area -- mountains, birch and pine trees, snow, fast running streams, and the QUIET filled my innermost being, my soul, with peace.

Returning to Northern Virginia last night was a shock.  Cars were moving so fast I felt anxious.  There are twice as many people living in the county of Fairfax, where I live, than in the entire STATE of Vermont.  Everywhere is traffic and construction and litter and noise. 

How does one find peace in the midst of this chaos?  How does one find hope when facing fears?

For Lent 2011 I would like to contemplate, read, and write about peace and hope.  I believe they may be the keys to joy.

"Long is the way, and very steep the slope,
Strengthen me once again, O God of Hope.

Far, very far, the summit doth appear;
But Thou art near My God, but Thou art near.

And Thou wilt give me with my daily food,
Powers of endurance, courage, fortitude.

Thy way is perfect; only let that way
Be clear before my feet from day to day.

Thou art my Portion, saith my soul to Thee,
O what a Portion is my God to me."

Thy Way is Perfect by Amy Carmichael, in her book Toward Jerusalem

Good Friday

I awoke this morning before daybreak. All was quiet. Then the first bird of the day began to sing. That night so long ago Jesus was still up as the day began to dawn, and as a cock crowed both He and Peter knew that another betrayal had occurred (Matthew 26: 69 - 75; Mark 14: 66 - 72; Luke 22: 54 - 62; John18: 25 - 27).

In his book He Chose the Nails: What God Did to Win Your Heart, Max Lucado compares the betrayals of Judas and Peter. He writes, "Peter and Judas, both deny their Lord. Peter seeks mercy. Judas seeks death. And God lets him. In every age of history, on every page of Scripture, the truth is revealed: God allows us to make our own choices. ... God gives eternal choices, and these choices have eternal consequences" (page 53).

Lucado says that one of God's greatest gifts is the gift of choice. He continues, "In so many areas of life we have no choice. Think about it. You didn't choose your gender. Your didn't choose your siblings. You didn't choose your race or place of birth. Sometimes our lack of choice angers us. 'It's not fair,' we say. ... But the scales of life were forever tipped on the side of fairness when God planted a tree in the Garden of Eden. All complaints were silenced when Adam and his descendants were given free will, the freedom to make whatever eternal choice we desire. Any injustice in this life is offset by the honor of choosing our destiny in the next" (page 55, emphasis mine).

As dawn broke on Good Friday, Jesus already he had suffered much, with so much more to come. I thought of all the people in Jerusalem that day. There would have been many who had no idea what was going on. Crucifixion by the Romans was common, and another three were about to take place. No one understood what life-changing, world-changing, eternity-changing events were transpiring. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" (1 Peter 3: 18 NIV).

Maundy Thursday

Did you get a chance to see the full moon tonight? As it rose over the U.S. Capitol, I remembered that the same moon shone in its fullness on Moses and the people of Israel as the Angel of Death passed over them in Egypt thousands of years ago. And that same moon lit the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus prayed there the night he was betrayed. So much has transpired over the ages, but God is the same yesterday, today and always. I was reminded of this as I gazed at the Moon which He set in the heavens at the beginning of time.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; ...to Him who made the heavens with skill ... the moon and the stars to rule by night, for His lovingkindness is everlasting" (Psalm 136 1, 5, 9).

photo by sul

At this point in his walk toward the cross, Jesus had entered Jerusalem to prepare for the Passover, and He knew fully that He was the Lamb of God who would be sacrificed to take away the sin of the world. He face was set toward the goal, although he would pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me, yet not My will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42).

I have several books which I add to my Bible reading during this Holy Week. I recommend them to you.

Six Hours One Friday: Anchoring to the Power of the Cross by Max Lucado
Christ in the Passover: Why is This Night Different by Ceil and Moishe Rosen
In the Footsteps of Jesus by Max Lucado

And I am reading for the first time He Chose the Nails: What God Did to Win Your Heart by Max Lucado.

If you have other suggestions, please list them in them in the comment section, or email them to me for posting. Let's share devotional resources.

Postscript:

Would you please join me in praying for the family and friends of Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Myers, who was the first dignified transfer to be recorded by the media since the change in policy implemented by President Obama.

The Sunday of the Passion

photo by sarah a larson

"And most of the multitude spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees, and spreading them in the road. And the multitudes going before Him, and those who followed after were crying out, saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!' " (Matthew 21: 8 - 9)

Be Still

Tonight at a gathering I attend, the leader began with a prayer to quiet us from the rush of the day. Slowly she prayed, "Be still and know that I am God."

"Be still and know that I am GOD."

"Be still and know that I AM."

"Be still and KNOW."

"Be STILL."

"BE."

As I silently prayed along, I found myself focusing on different aspects of God. It was a powerful use of Scripture as prayer that I have continued to meditate on throughout the evening.

At home I read from my New American Standard translation of the Bible. It says, "Cease striving and know that I am God" (Psalm 46: 10). When I went to God tonight in contemplative prayer, He "made me to lie down in green pastures; He led me beside quiet waters; He restored my soul" (Psalm 23: 2 - 3).

Once again when I sought Him I found Him already there, ready to meet me.

Please share with me other Scriptures you know of that speak of "quietness."

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes , His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made . . ." Romans 1:20.

Let's start a list in the comment section below. Which items in God's creation lead you to worship God?

I'll begin: the stars. When I can get away from the city lights and see the stars at night, I am in awe of God. I am reminded of His "eternal power and divine nature." Have you considered that they all stay in place, forming the constellations that are recognizable generation to generation? They do not move out of their assigned location, which is so dependable that travellers are guided by them.

"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power not one of them is missing" Isaiah 40:26.

Please contribute below in the comment section, helping to form a "praise list" based on God's creation. Remember, you are able to so so anonymously.