The good news of Christ.

The good news of Christ.

I would like to think that one of my spiritual gifts is that of adaptability.  I am not easily shaken by new situations, a change of plans, or even a lack thereof.  However, I learned this summer that am not invincible to the feelings of chaos and confusion that life tends to bring.  In the original Hebrew, shalom, meaning peace is described not as the absence of chaos, but rather an overall deep sense of harmony, health and wholeness in the midst of chaos.  In fact, true peace is best detected and measured against the backdrop of commotion.  This summer truly brought me to a place of trusting The Lord and seeking out His peace while surrounded by the unknown.

I clung to the story of Peter in Matthew 26, which recounts Jesus’s arrest in the garden.  To be honest, I always thought Peter overreacted in this passage, I mean; he cut off a guy’s ear!  But this summer, the more I thought about it, the more I related to his response.  Peter had been following Jesus for three years, witnessing miracles, being a part of miracles, building trust, and ultimately devoting his life to him.  All of a sudden, his world is ripped from under his feet!  Nothing makes sense.  Jesus is getting arrested and will be on trial.  I imagined him thinking to himself, “Was all of this a lie?  What will happen to me?  Will I be arrested and killed, too?”   In the midst of his chaos and confusion, he did not remember the promises he knew and heard for his entire life.  Instead, he wanted responded in haste and in his feelings.

I came to understand Peter this summer.  One of our youth group boys was killed and I received word that another friend was probably not going to make it much longer.  Nothing made sense.  I wanted to lash out.  I longed to make sense of what was going on around me, and God gave me hope in this passage.

Jesus said, “Put your sword back where it belongs. All who use swords are destroyed by swords. Don’t you realize that I am able right now to call to my Father, and twelve companies—more, if I want them—of fighting angels would be here, battle-ready? But if I did that, how would the Scriptures come true that say this is the way it has to be?” -Matthew 26:52-54, The Message

Although Peter had no clarity in that moment, and even in the next few days, we now know there was purpose, a grander purpose that he couldn’t see, nor understand at that second.  This plan was set forth long before and that would provide restoration long after through the death and resurrection of the Son of God!  The truth about Christ and His promises were not void in the midst of Peter’s chaotic situation, they never were!  Peter just couldn’t see the grand picture from where he was.  In the same way we do not overlook the timeline of eternity, but we trust in the one who holds time in his hands.

The spiritual battle we fight, we fight daily.  But thankfully we do not fight it alone or without the proper equipment.  I can attest to the need to have your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  The good news of Christ does not abandon us in our time of need.  Rather, we can be comforted in the complete hope and peace we have in him.  I hope that in continuing forward I can hold onto this fact: when instability abounds; we can remain steadfast; when disappointment and confusion are all around-we still can walk in the Spirit’s stability and steadiness.

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