The Peace of God

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

I love rainy days—when I have an umbrella.

I love rainy days. The rest of my family are sun worshippers, but I look forward to those cozy days, hemmed with rain and raveled in jagged strips of lightning. 

I especially love walking in the rain. There’s just something comforting in huddling beneath a large umbrella, safe and dry, while the world around me is wet.

It occurred to me that this is a perfect picture of what God does with us. As we move about our days, we’re sheltered by Him. Once we put our faith in God, He becomes our shield—our umbrella in a dreary world. That’s not to say bad things don’t happen, they definitely do. But we’re sheltered by His peace and the knowledge of His perfect love for every single one of us.

Without God's peace, life gets scary.

Sometimes I choose to step out of from under that umbrella and start off on my own. That’s when I get into trouble. I’m not protected anymore, but totally exposed to the elements. What started as an exciting adventure, quickly descends into a miserable situation. I find myself cold, wet and exposed. What was once beautiful from the safety of God’s peace becomes scary.

But God is always there, waiting for me to return. He’ll gather me into his arms, beneath the safety of that umbrella and all the fear drains away.

So where do you find yourself today? Are you standing in the rain, cold and wet? If so, rush back to the shelter of the Father. Let him dry you off, calm your fears and once again give you the covering of his perfect peace.