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The
Picture of Peace
Long
ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not
finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to
produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the
imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings
arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of
revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful
scene after another, while the viewers clapped and
cheered. The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained
veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush
fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected
lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the
evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep
grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.
The
man with the vision uncovered the second painting
himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this
be peace? A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky
precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold,
penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to
explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of
the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree
clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of
its branches reached out in front of the torrential
waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full
power. A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of
that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy
surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes
closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones,
she manifested peace that transcends all earthly
turmoil. *
Jesus
said to His disciples: "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). Jesus
contrasted the peace that He gives with the peace that
the world offers.
What
kind of peace does the world have to offer?
At best, it is the absence of conflict.
Unfortunately, as the history of civilization
and current events reveal, this peace is always
temporary and uncertain.
However,
the peace that Jesus gives is not based upon
CIRCUMSTANCES,
but upon a RELATIONSHIP with Him – despite
circumstances.
The peace found in Christ does not mean the
absence of trials on the outside, but it does mean a
quiet confidence within, based upon one’s faith,
regardless of circumstances, people or things.
When
we submit to Christ in: faith
(Acts 16:30-31), repentance
(2 Peter 3:9), confession
(Romans 10:9-10) and baptism
(Acts 22:16), we begin a relationship with Christ as a
child of God. ONLY
through Jesus, can we have peace with God
(Romans 5:1), with others (Romans 14:19), and with
ourselves (Philippians 4:6-7).
Peace
in the midst of the storm: THIS is the perfect picture
of peace, and this is the kind of peace that is found
in Christ!
YOU
can have THIS peace if you will trust and obey Him.
Won’t
you?
--
David
A. Sargent,
Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* A Wardrobe from the King, Berit Kjos, pp.
45-46
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