Heading Home

“God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.”
Matt. 5:9
Ah, peace! Ha! Not right now. As I sit here typing this, the sound of the yardman’s blower grates on my ears and jars my soul. That is definitely not the sound of peace to me.

But what is peace? According to one definition, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says, “According to a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” Amen!

Peace is…

…rest in the Lord
…contentment that the Lord with work on our behalf
…harmony with the Lord.

Peace is the calm rest in the Lord that brings harmony in the midst of a fiery trial or the depths of an agonizing heartache.

What does scripture tell us about peace?

*“…for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 14:17 NKJV)

*“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (Rom. 14:19 NKJV)

*“God has called us to live in peace.” (1 Cor. 7:15b NIV)

*“…to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom, 8:6 NKJV)

*“I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for He speaks peace to His faithful people.” (Ps. 85:8 NLT)

However, there is one more element to peace…and that is trust in the Lord. Total reliance on Him to carry us through the worst of life’s flames.

God said through Isaiah, “I will be your God through all your lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white with age. I made you and I will care for you. I will carry you along and be your Savior.” (Is. 46:4 TLB)

He also wrote of God’s promise, “He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!” (Is. 26:3 TLB)

Paul said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7 TLB)

When chaos invades my world, do I still claim His peace and praise Him? Yes, indeedy! For “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of His glories and grace.” (Ps. 34:1 TLB) Amen!

And when the enemy swirls his darkness around me and attempts to discourage or frighten me, do I still trust Him? You betcha! I say as David said, “But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in You. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting Him, what can mere man do to me?” (Ps. 56:3-4 TLB)

Are you struggling to retain your heart’s peace? What did Jesus say about His peace? “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 TLB)

The old hymn It is Well With My Soul describes it so well…

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.”

If we aim for and pursue peace within ourselves, we shall be known as God’s children and be able to share His peace with those around us. “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (Rom. 14:19 NKJV)

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13 NLT)

May it be well with your soul!

In writing musical compositions, the composer will sometimes insert a mark called a “rest.” The dictionary defines a rest as an interval of silence between tones, marked with a symbol. Several signs are used and each one corresponds with a note value to indicate the length of the pause, in other words, a silence of a certain duration.

In the perfection of the composition, the rest must be observed, during which the beat still continues. After the rest, the next note is played right on time and the music resumes. The break is a part of the arrangement; nothing is lacking. On the contrary, interest and attention are heightened.

Each instrument must be played according to the timing and notes written for it for the melody to be evident. Though the composition for each instrument is different, each note written for that instrument must be followed in order for the conductor to orchestrate the harmony.

David knew his compositions needed these pauses, these rest periods, and sprinkled them throughout his psalms. The word is ‘selah,’ which, in Hebrew, means suspension or pause, to lift up or exalt, a technical musical term possibly showing accentuation or interruption.

God writes a composition for each of our lives for His purpose of alignment, direction, and harmony. And in His design of things, a rest is occasionally necessary.

When our lives are interrupted with some conflict, some heartache, it is as the pause in the composition, a break in the rhythm of things, and, if we are attuned and fitting into His timing and His plan, the sweet melody of life will play on. Each trial or anguish has its own length of duration, during which, God continues to conduct the rhythm of our lives. And the beat goes on.

As His instruments, we rest in His timing, His direction, stopping to pay attention to every stroke of His Conductor’s baton and following every note (as every command) of His Composition (His Word). When the hiatus is over, the harmony of life begins once again.

As the music of the composition comes from within an instrument, so the music of life comes from within your soul. The Master Conductor writes the composition then conducts it upon your life. Are you following His Composition or playing your own tune?

The Master Conductor says to you…

“I use only those instruments that are in tune with My great purposes.

“I choose My special instruments and give them the vigorous training that only I know they need. They must become very adept at the music they play. They must practice - practice - practice. Then and only then are they sensitive enough to know the tune I want them to play.

“Beautiful sounds can come only from one that is so completely attuned to My every wish, to each stroke of My baton. The pause for suffering makes very special instruments. They bring beautiful music not only to the ears of others but also to Mine. These are the ones that are very precious to Me.

“You are one of the precious ones. You are a special instrument that is being fine-tuned for great service, to play beautiful music for the Master Conductor.

“My harmony is the sweetest when played on the instruments that lay closest to My feet. And I know that you sit adoringly at My Son’s precious feet - in true worship and praise.”

The greatest joy, success, achievement, and satisfaction can only come when we learn our music lessons and allow God to conduct our lives. That we might make melodious harmony in before His throne.

“All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 25:6a NKJV

“Take a harp…play skillfully and make sweet melody…that you may be remembered.”
(Is. 23:16 AMP)

Suddenly taken ill, a renowned harpist was rushed to the hospital. While tests were being run to find the cause of his illness, he lay in his hospital bed, reminiscing over his life. Seeing himself as a young boy, he remembered his dreams of becoming a famous harpist, even though his family was poverty stricken and could not afford even one string of a harp or music lessons.

Each day, after school, on his way to one of his many odd jobs, he stopped at the local music shop to quickly thumb through the catalogs of instruments, envisioning the day of owning a harp from what little money he saved.

He became great friends with the shop owner who took pity on him and allowed him to purchase, piece by piece, all the parts necessary to make a harp. Each new string added a new dimension of hope to his life.

After many years, he had all the parts and the shop owner assembled the beautiful harp for him. The shop owner’s wife, a music teacher, offered him free lessons, and, under her tutelage, he became an accomplished, well-known harpist in a very short time, thus fulfilling the purpose for his life. He was loved and admired by all.

As he laid there thinking about his life, he remembered the many setbacks and hardships he had suffered. His mother and father, as missionaries in a foreign land, were killed by natives. His sister, whom he loved dearly, was killed in a car accident. World War II took the life of his only son. After many years of marriage, his wife left him for someone else. Now, he was fighting for his life - alone.

As each trial took its toll on his life, he laid his harp aside. Yet, after each respite, he resumed his music, playing his beloved harp more beautifully than before. Each occurrence in his life brought more enthusiastic reviews from the critics.

Now, while lying in his hospital bed, depressed and having no desire to live, he asked the Lord why so many trying things had occurred in his life.

The Lord whispered to him, “You constructed your beloved harp from its many pieces with great love. For it to make its beautiful melodies, much effort and practice time was necessary. To keep it in tune, you tightened its strings every now and then.

“This is as your life, for it was put together with great love. Each sorrow, each disappointment, each heartache added a new string to your life. Each event was part of the process to tighten you and transform your life’s music. It was your choice whether it would be played in harmony or in discord. All prepared you to make beautiful melodies, each as a sweet praise to the Great Instrument Maker.”

After the review of his life, the great harpist rested back on his pillow, satisfied and comforted. He closed his eyes, content that he would awaken the next morning to play sweet melodies of praise to his Master - on his harp of many strings.

~~Blessings, Lynn~~