"Peace, Be Still!"

Hello friends, hello August, and hello Peace Series! That's right; today we dive head first into peace. We will start off the way we also start off these one-word series, with definitions. Also, as always, I will be pointing these definitions back to Christ.

My concordance defines peace as freedom from disturbance; calm. This definition is the big reason why I wanted this series to come after our freedom one; it's right in the description! Plus, I feel like it plays off of freedom and peace is the thing that comes after the chains are broken and the burdens are unloaded.

Let's look to Google for more peace definitions:

• freedom from disturbance; tranquility

This one is very similar to our concordance definition.

• a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended

Guess what, my friends, a war has ended. Jesus already won the war. He defeated death. He has overcome! Now, there is peace.

I don't normally add the way that the definitions are used, as described by Google but I wanted to add this one: used as an order to remain silent. "peace, be still!"

Be still...

He says," Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalms 46:10

So what does being still have to do with peace? When we be still, we feel at peace. When we be still, we hear God more and therefore we receive peace. When we be still and know, we can have peace because we know that He has our backs.

So, homework assignment for you: take time to be still. Turn off the tv, the radio, the gaming console, or whatever else and just close your eyes. Take this time to reflect and know that the one and only God, that does not withhold one good thing from those who love Him, has your back.

Dwell on the fact that when you trust Him, you don't need to understand everything. You don't to solve the mysterious of the Bible. He will give you the knowledge and understanding you need exactly when you need it. So, stop doubting Him because of things you do not understand and cannot possibly understand. You cannot see all the bumps and potholes in the road, but He can and He will guide you around them. Trust and have peace.

You know, when I was deciding on the word for this month, and talking to God in the process, I felt him say meditate and peace. I thought about doing a poll on my Facebook group to help me come to a decision, when I looked up peace in my concordance. When I saw freedom in it's definition, I knew that peace it was.

I also was a little skeptical about doing the word meditate because you see that word in yoga and self/mental health books and magazines. It seem almost like a Buddhism sort of word, right? But Jesus meditated in the Bible. But He didn't meditate the way that meditation is described now-a-days. He meditated by being still and praying - He was mediating in the Lord!

Now that I am kicking off this series, I realize maybe peace and meditate aren't too different at all. Maybe I can hit two birds with one stone so to speak.

Well, my friends, I will write to you Thursday where we will begin our Biblical hunt for peace in the Bible. Until then, take time to be still, mediate, smile, and therefore have peace.