The Prince of Peace

Sunday, January 18

8:30 p.m.

I pull out my pink journal and begin to write. Outside the sky is dark and only a small smatter of stars is visible. My three busy boys are fast asleep and everything should have been quiet, but it’s not. Outside, dance music blares from speakers the size of small houses! Even though we are several streets over from the main road where the speakers have been set up, the sound is not muffled at all. It drowns out all the normal night noises of horns honking, people talking, dogs yapping and roosters crowing. From now till Carnival, which I believe is the end of next month, we will be subject to this party music every Sunday afternoon and evening whether we like it or not.

No use getting upset about the lack of quiet though. I turn my attention to God and write His name on the top of the page.

The Bible tells us: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38. But to really love God, we need to get to know Him first.

In Hosea 6:3 it says: Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

And in Jeremiah 9:23-24 it says: Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

God reveals Himself to us through the Bible and the more time we spend in His presence, by reading, praying and mediating on His Word, the more we get to know Him. The more we get to know Him, the more our love for Him and faith in Him grows. Romans 10:17 says So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Because my learning style is note taking, I take some time now and simply write some of the things I’ve learned about God in my journal.

God:

-Is love. (1 John 4:8)

-Is not a man that He should lie. (Numbers 23:19)

-Is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

-Our Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)

- A very present Help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)

- Precious in His sight is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15)

- My Strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

- Creator of the world. (Gen 1:1)

- Jesus (John 10:30)

- Is faithful (1 Cor 1:9)

- Is trustworthy (2 Sam 7:8)

- Is good and kind (Romans 2:4)

- A gentle and quiet spirit is precious in His sight.  (1Peter 3:4)

- King of kings (Revelations 7:14)

- Our everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)

- As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)

- He tells us not to be afraid. (Isaiah 41:10)

- He has compassion on us. (Psalm 103:13)

- He remembers we are dust. (Psalm 103:14)

- He is the Potter, we are the clay. (Isaiah 64:8)

- We are all the work of His hands. (Isaiah 64:8)

- He is very patient. (2 Peter 3:9)

- He sent His Son to die for us. (John 3:16)

- We were created in His image. (Genesis 1:27)

- He is almighty. (Revelations 11:17)

- He is good. (Psalm 136:1)
- He is just. (1 John 1:9)
- He spoke the world into being. (Hebrews 11:3)

- He created everything out of nothing. (Hebrews 11:3)

- We are His children. (Galatians 3:26)

- He tells us to believe on Him. (Acts 16:31)

 -He tells us to trust Him at all times. (Psalm 62:8)

- He tells us to have faith. (Mark 11:22)

- He tells us to pour out our hearts before Him.  (Psalm 62:8)

- He tells us the best is yet to come. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

- He is always with us. (Matthew 28:20)

- He is with us even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. (Psalm 23:4)

The list goes on and on and before I realize it, I have six pages of notes.

The following day I spend time looking up the Bible reference for each one. As I study the list I am struck by the third line I had written; He is the Prince of Peace.

My thoughts go back to Saturday, when I was driving home with three screaming kids in the car through crazy Haiti traffic. The drive lasted two hours. 

Both outside and inside the vehicle it was incredibly chaotic and yet I felt remarkably calm. Was this because I was just some amazing person who had learned to put up with incredible amounts of chaos and stress? Most definitely not! I would be lying if I said that was true!

As I thought through the scenario I quickly realized the peace I had felt had nothing to do with who I was, but everything to do with who God was.

He is the Prince of Peace!

When I give my stress, my worries, and the chaos that surrounds me over to Him, He gives me a supernatural peace, just like He promised.

Phil 4:6-7 say, Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In John 16:33 Jesus tells us that in the world we will have tribulation, but in Him we may have peace. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

How comforting to know that wherever we are, or whatever situation we find ourselves in, our God is the Prince of Peace and we can find peace that surpasses all human understanding in Him.