Psalm 37:37b says, “…There is a future for the man of peace.” John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” That peace. I want it.
A FaceBook post by Timothy Keller on Black Friday challenged me. He said, “To learn and digest the Word of God requires a fight – we must fight our busy schedules, our distracted minds, our stubborn hearts, and the world’s opinion and disdain.” No kidding. But, I still want that peace. I still want His Word. I’m willing to fight.
The Peace Jesus gives comes with a fight. Our busy schedules. Our lists. Our calendars. Our checkbooks. All the things that expose who we are and where we are heading. With no room for spending time with God in His Word, no room for really hearing Him, no room for knowing the condition of our hearts, Peace comes with a fight.
The Peace Jesus gives comes with an upstream battle. The Black Fridays of our distracted minds, the mania of holiday gift-buying, maybe even slavery to perfectionism – all stand in our way. God’s Word promises to help us replace those frenzied thoughts. Romans 8:6b says, “…The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” It is the diet that really counts. And has eternal ramifications. But, a fight is required.
The Peace Jesus gives comes with a difficult journey. Our stubborn hearts interrupt forward movement again and again. Romans 3:10-12 reminds us, “…There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away… there is no one who does good, not even one.” But, thankfully, God sought us when we didn’t seek Him. He sent us a Savior and a King. He redeems our stubborn hearts, but a fight worth fighting is required.
The Peace Jesus gives comes with a great struggle. The world’s opinion and disdain. Surely the world’s a very hostile place, spiritually dark, divisive, dying. Opposition to believers is the world’s standard operating procedure. John 8:12 promises, “When Jesus again spoke to the people, He said, ‘I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ ” Still, a fight is required. There is still time to invite the King of Light into our lives. Not marginally, but fully.
There are so many implications regarding that special baby in that manger so long ago – the King of our hearts. I John 3:1 says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” Only made possible by the incarnation of God through Jesus Christ. God’s one and only Son Who made it possible for us to be God’s legitimate children. The perfect Lamb, the perfect Savior, the perfect Lord, the perfect King.
God freely gives us His Spirit to gradually transform our hearts to resemble King Jesus (the ultimate reason for the Christmas season). Hearts to resemble the thoughts, attitudes, and actions of the Son of God. Unloading our appetite for worldly things. Ending our doubt of God’s goodness. Throwing off sinful habits. More and more love for Him, His Word, and people. But, a fight is required.
Against all the odds, come to the King of Hearts – King Jesus. Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37b-38).
Finally Peace. Believe, drink. Flow with living water. Let Jesus be the King of your heart.
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