Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Col. 3:15
Gracious Jesus, today, like every day, somebody, some story, or something is going to claim rulership of our hearts. The control-center of our lives will be wooed and ruled, enticed and seized. We will have a “heart boss.”
It could be bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness; or vanity, lust, or fear. It could be the shaming power of Satan or the empty promises of greed. It might be overbearing people or aggravating circumstances.
Old regrets or new fantasies, the quest to be included or the approval of a dead parent, the seating of a Supreme Court Justice or the unsettling news of a health issue… we will be preoccupied with something today.
Therefore, in obedience to this life-liberating Scripture, we choose your peace as the ruler of our hearts. With palms up, we gladly surrender our hearts to your peace as our sovereign, king, and boss. For, Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace, the Monarch of Mercy, the Governor of Grace.
Through your finished work on the cross, God made his peace with us, and we now have peace with our Father. Alienation has been replaced with reconciliation, distance with intimacy, judgment with affection. God isn’t just “okay” with us; he delights in us. There is no peace like the peace of God. How can we not overflow with gratitude and humility, faith and hope?
Jesus, may your peace-that-transcends-circumstances work as a centering and settling power in our hearts today. We will trust you in our “testy” relationships and the things we cannot control; in our angry culture and our less-than-fulfilling jobs; in our known weaknesses and our unknown futures. Be beautiful and big in our hearts, Lord.
Because of your peace with us, we will seek to live at peace with those in our web of relationships. And where peace isn’t possible, yet, we’ll rest in your love and wait on your timing. So very Amen we pray, in your praise-worthy and persistent name.
