“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13 ESV)

At church recently I spoke about the peace of God which passes all understanding coming as a gift from God, which we need to be in the core of our being (See Philippians 4:7-9). 

Later in the week as I walked through the pedestrian precinct in the town centre I felt lead to pray, give and talk about imparting God’s peace through prayer to a couple of people, one a cultic Buddhist monk called Petr another man who was seeking cash for his project.

I have to laugh (or cry) because on the way home feeling good about myself some driver blew his horn at me and tailgated me through a junction being very impatient; going through what was for him a red light.  It made me deeply annoyed right down in the pit of my heart.  God’s peace flew out of the window and I realised straight away that I had failed myself putting my indignation first in front of the Love of God.  Being in the world can be a trial.

I felt really bad about it for some time before I could let go of the fear and shame to regain some form of real peace.  It revealed to me how thin skinned I am still.  It is a burden I carry from a negative time in education I suffered as a boy when I was sent away to school.

Out of the blue I had something happen at church which I felt was not honouring in the sight of God.  In truth it makes no difference to me because this was not my problem but it caused some doubt to arise about the financial management of church.

All these things have sought to undermine my faith in God, His people and my trust in His peace that I earlier declared was ours in Jesus.  This is nothing new because I know I have experienced it many times: the dirty tricks the Evil One sends to rob me of my trust in God and His gift of peace.

Consequently I do not stick my head up above the parapet often because I am always getting wounded and this week proved no exception!  I just want a quiet life with my family and Jesus but that is not a life I have been called to have.  So I seek to trust in God’s Grace given for me to serve more than my failures.

We can rejoice in the truth about Jesus’ peace, even when it has been robbed superficially.  Sooner or later, the Holy Spirit will come rushing in to bring His peace to overcome Evil.

Prayer: Jesus Your love is so amazing. Your peace is a gift in the name of Jesus that the world cannot give and we rejoice in it because it is freely given as we hang on to You through life’s hiccups and our fallen-ness, amen.

Roderick Marshall