Question to meditate on: How is life going for you?
You yourselves know how plainly I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am here to prepare the way for him -- that is all. (John 3:28, NLT)
We make things so difficult for ourselves. We plan. We plot. We stress. And, we repeat this process on a daily basis. Somewhere along the way . . . we lose sight of the purpose of what we are doing and why we are doing it. Eventually, if something doesn't change, we lose peace.
I know that I have talked about it before . . . but peace is the key to living well. The peace that comes from God, the shalom, is derived from knowing the presence, power, and goodness of God.
John knew the secret to living. He not only understood that he was to live out his God-given purpose but that God had come . . . Christ was present and good. The New Living Translation states it so well . . . that is all. There is nothing else to say . . . when we finally understand why we are living and how we are to live . . . it comes down to a simplicity that frees us from every other expectations. It did not matter what others wanted from him . . . he knew the presence of God . . . and what God wanted him to do . . . and he had the peace of God--that is all we need.
Stop.
Breathe.
Be aware of the presence of God.
Receive the peace of God.
Surrender to the power of God.
Go where God wants you to go through the power of the Spirit.
Do what God wants you to do through the power of the Spirit.
Refuse to do anything else . . . including other expectations.
Be at peace.
--that is all.
Learning with you to do all things through the presence, power and peace of God,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
