Reflections on the Road: Week Six

Reflections on the Road

Week Six

"God Provides Peace"

Focus Passage: Psalm 23

Focus Verse: Psalm 23:2

Bible Reading: Mark 8-14

      Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally, the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.  The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled.  As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.  A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.

     The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?

A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind, and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power.  A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil. (Berit Kjos, A Wardrobe from the King, pp. 45-46)

      Peace is the long-sought for jewel of our world and yet never found.  History estimates that in the last 4000 years that we have enjoyed less than 300 years of peace.  We have created leagues, treaties, and organizations that have sought for peace, and yet it is nothing more than a fleeting vision.  The reason why is that they are seeking peace outside of the Good Shepherd.  In Psalm 23:2 the sheep declares "He makes me to lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the still waters."  Talk about a picturesque scene, the epitome of peace.  The sheep, who we have already said is defenseless and helpless, finds peace in the care of the shepherd.  So peaceful that he can lay down in the face of troubles and be calm, knowing that his Shepherd is watching him.  The waters are not raging, but it is still water.  Typically a shepherd goes to raging waters that scare the sheep and digs a trench of still waters for the sheep.  The water is still raging in the distance, but the shepherd gives the sheep a sweet calm.  That is what our shepherd does in this life for us as His sheep.  He provides us with a peace, a peace that the Bible says passes all our understanding.  We can look at the chaos and despair of our world and find peace.  The reason why is because our Good Shepherd doesn't just provide us with peace, but according to Ephesians 2:14, He is our peace.  If we know the Good Shepherd we can find peace in the chaos and we can rest

Reflections on the Road:
If you are currently struggling to be anchored to peace write this verse down and apply it to your life.  Realize that the storm does not always stop raging BUT when you are in the presence Good Shepherd you can rest in perfect peace.