5th Week of Easter
My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. (John 14:27)
In the late nineteenth century, French artists experimented with a new technique in painting called pointillism. They used small dots of color to create pictures. Up close, dots are all you can see. But step back, and the picture becomes clear! Sometimes, our lives can be like that. Daily joys and problems, ups and downs, can loom large before our eyes. We get distracted by the chaotic or colorful or tragic moments. We lose our peace or get swept up into an unwarranted sense of excitement. We forget to step back and see the big picture.
The peace that Jesus promises us in today’s Gospel reading is not something we conjure up on our own. It doesn’t come from manipulating our circumstances so that nothing ruffles our feathers. It’s far more solid and reliable than that.
Look at Paul and Barnabas: they certainly had ups and downs! They were threatened with being stoned while in Iconium, so they moved to Lystra, where the people hailed them as gods. But these same people were easily swayed and attacked Paul, leaving him for dead. Then, escaping Lystra, Paul and Barnabas ended up making a “considerable number” of disciples elsewhere.
According to the world, these men should have felt anxious, not peaceful. But they didn’t. Writing years later, Paul said, “I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance… . I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me” (Philippians 4:12, 13).
Will we face ups and downs? Fickle responses from people? Happiness interspersed with hardship? Yes. But we can still find peace in Christ.
How? By stepping back and looking at the big picture. Lean into the arms of the divine Artist who is painting the masterpiece of your life. The chaos and beauty will become clearer, and God’s vision will make more sense as you look beyond your changing circumstances and remember his love and provision. So today and every day, take a deep breath, and ask the Lord for his gift of peace.
“Jesus, you are my Prince of Peace!”
Acts 14:19-28; Psalm 145:10-13, 21
Daily Marriage Tip for May 5, 2015:
(Reader’s Tip): Only do those things that will be good for the other. This has given us a better outlook. We think more before we do something.