My Father's Peace...

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus" Phil. 4:7

This past Sunday, I took my dad out to lunch for Father's Day. Time with my dad is always a great experience. He can brighten up any room with his great big smile. Nothing seems to embarrass him and there is something about my dad's personality that is so contagious and wonderfully humorous. He can make any waiter/waitress provide the best service and have them looking forward to his next visit. Watching him and listening to him speak about his recent adventures inspired me for this week's blog on the third Fruit of the Spirit, Peace.



In my dad's 66 years of life, he has experienced many situations where most of us would have probably fallen apart. Through several divorces, financial troubles, and recent health issues, he still carries around the biggest smile I've ever seen, he doesn't complain and just accepts situations for what they are. I have always admired him for his strength, his humor and most of all, his peace in the midst of serious trials.He's very positive, influential, and can make anyone laugh. If you've ever met my dad you would know what I'm talking about.

Even though he has never been a religious man he has always lived by what some call the "Golden Rule";"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you" Mat. 7:12

I would like to think that I've inherited some of my dad's attributes such as his strength, his positive attitude and his sense of humor. I can also say that have learned to experience peace in the midst of trials. However, it's not a peace inherited from my earthly father, but a peace that can only come from knowing God, my Heavenly Father. It's a kind of peace which allows me to completely surrender everything to God and allow Him to do His will in my life. There is no real peace apart from knowing Him.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." ~ John 14:27

Nothing is more beautiful than this peace. It's a peace that surpasses all understanding, the kind of peace that people see in us, especially when we display it through our trials. The kind of peace we can attain when we’re rejected, when we’re persecuted, when everything is extremely chaotic around us.

"Peace comes in situations that are completely surrendered to the sovereign authority of Christ. When we finally give up trying to discover all the whys and just decide to trust Him, unexpected peace washes over us like a summer rain."
~Beth Moore~

The following poem by an anonymous author gives a great description of God's peace.


My Father's Peace

And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.
My Father's peace,
which the human mind
cannot comprehend, will
guard your hearts and your minds
in my ways.
Truer peace and love,
you will never find.
My Father's peace,
will help you persevere through
your daily trials.
It's through my Father's peace,
that I was guided,
while I was on earth teaching,
His ways.
You have been given power,
and authority to over come all
worldly things.

Ephesians 3: 16-19
"I pray that out of his glorious
riches he may strengthen you with
power through his Spirit in your
inner being,
so that Christ may dwell
in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with
all the saints, to grasp how wide
and long and high and deep
is the love of Christ,
And to know this love
that surpasses knowledge -
that you may be filled to the
measure of all the fullness
of God."

My Father's peace,
gives you immeasurable strength.
My Father freely gives,
His peace to everyone.
Just believe in me, Jesus Christ,
your creator's Son.

Colossians 3: 15-17
"Let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts, since
as members of one body
you were called to peace.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly as you
teach and admonish
one another with all wisdom,
and as you sing psalms, hymns
and spiritual songs with
gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do,
whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through him."

Let my Father's peace
rule in your hearts in all
things.