Keep Calm
Focus Scriptures: Philippians 4: 6-7 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. (NIV)
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (NIV)
In the eye of the storm there is peace. Can you imagine the whirling winds of a hurricane how they can take up the roofs off houses yet in the very centre, there is a stillness, such calm. It is difficult to imagine how such peace and stillness can be within raging winds. Yet, this can be very much relayed to our daily walk, our daily lives. I really like to reflect on the goodness of God identifying analogies between nature and our human experience, more so our Christian experience. Sometimes our daily walk can very much seem like a storm, we are caught up in the whirlwind of life’s unexpected trials and challenges. Much like any storm, we too have a still peace in the centre and we must learn to rest and rely on this advantage, the peace of God, through the Holy Spirit.
In our Christian walk we learn not to rely on ourselves, for we have been born again adopted into the kinship of Christ. The Lord instructs us to abide in Him as He abides in us. His word is the light to our path, it gives understanding, it gives direction for wisdom and allows us to understand that without Christ Jesus we are nothing and we can do nothing but with Him we can do all things. For in Him we live, move and have our being. John tells that through Christ Jesus all things were made and without him nothing was made, that has been made. Therefore, we are directed to abide in him and bear much fruit. This denotes a deep spiritual connection. Peace is a part of the fruit that we the family, the kinship of the Christ should bear. But how do we maintain peace, how do we keep calm with the raging winds of life swarming a whirlwind all around us?
Think about the storm and the peace found within the eye of it. Now think about your life and the peace of God that has been promised. That peace comes from within, it comes from the One whom dwells within us. So, we must not look from the natural rather we must tune in to the Spirit of God within us. Rest and abide, trust and be confident. The opposite of calm according to Oxford is stormy, rough, violent, upset and anxious. Such characteristics are opposite to the instruction of the Lord, Who directs us not to be anxious. The will of God is for us to be in perfect peace however this can only be attained by those who focus of the Lord and trust in the Lord.
Keep calm, do not focus on the issue, situation or circumstance but focus on Christ Jesus. Be confident in the Lord, rest assured He created you, He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb. His plans even from the beginning are “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, His plans are to give you hope and a future. What a mighty God we serve, one that adores us so much so that He has numbered the hairs on our head. When we rest in the knowledge of who God is, no situation, no should rise above the word of God. He has directed us to not worry, His word says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Then He has promised us the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, He says that it will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6-7. Our Great, Mighty, Sovereign God is not a man that He should lie, His word will not be return void. His desire is for us to have peace, we are to trust Him and lean not on our own understanding, for we know all things are working together for the good of those that love the Lord. God’s word shall prevail; you are victorious! Through His love and His word He has given us instructions for our benefit . We are instructed in Philippians 4:8 to dwell upon whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate, yes think and dwell on these things. And the Spirit of God will usher you into a state of peace that you may Keep Calm.
Dear heavenly Father, I pray that every person reading this message will come to the fulness of the understanding of Christ Jesus. Lord, I pray your peace in and through their lives, wherever they may find themselves, Lord I pray that they will be strengthen to know that you are with them, that You Lord will never leave nor forsake them. Father God, I pray if they have not yet come to accept You, Jesus Christ as there Lord and Saviour, Dear Lord I pray that from today, from this moment, they will feel the pulling, and they will respond to the call of Your love and accept the gift of salvation. May Your will oh Lord be done, May Your kingdom come. In the Mighty name of Jesus, Amen
Scriptures for reflection:
John 1:3
John 15 :5
Act 17:28
Jeremiah 1:5, Jeremiah 29:11
Matthew 10:30
Proverbs 3:5