Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

I asked Jesus into my heart when I was around eight years old. Since then, I've been on a steady quest to relinquish control of every area of my life to His care. I have experienced total surrender in some areas, yet there are still some places locked with what seems to be no key.

From time to time I go through periods of pretty deep introspection. Sarah never likes it because during these sessions I become extremely pensive and uncontrollably reticent. I battle with anger in regard to situations that are out of my control. To add insult to injury, I'm not the best at making the greatest decisions at critical times. This creates cycles of worry, doubt, fear and the worst of all self deprecation.

BUT...in the middle of one of my most recent rants, I found one of those missing keys! I was buzzing around town in my little car not long ago, half listening to a radio program on the Christian network. The subject matter was about, "peace". Now, in my twenty some years of being a follower of Christ, I can honestly say I've heard almost a hundred teachings about it. In fact, I know I've taught on the topic myself. I'll go so far as to mention that I've got several verses memorized about peace as well.

I was annoyed by the pastor's vocal inflections on this particular radio program. I wondered why he couldn't talk in a tone that could be used in everyday conversation in the real world. Nevertheless, something he said that I already knew was seeded again in my brain that would bloom later...

"Peace is not the absence of trouble, but it's trusting God in the midst of the issues of life."

...It would later take an NBC TV show to make this truth hit home for me. I guess the 1o1st time makes a charm!

It was the boxing reality show, "The Contender". In this particular episode, one of the coaches was encouraging one of his boxers during some endurance training. The boxer was working the bag as best he could, bobbing and jabbing. His feet were constantly moving, sweat poured down his brow while he looked intently at his target. Every punch seemed to take the wind out of him yet he kept at it.

"Keep moving, keep breathing, stay with it...YES, YES!...Find a way to take a rest, just...don't stop moving," the coached chanted!

...And there it was, laid out plain as day for me. A truth that would resonate in my being for the remainder of my life! This picture of a physically wiped out boxer; gloves getting heavier and heavier with every blow; feet becoming cement blocks with every shuffle; lungs burning with each snatch of breath; lactic acid coursing through veins; yet somehow this athlete, through the support of his coach, found a way to get outside of his pressing condition, maintain his rhythm, breathe and focus despite fatigue. This place of rest, is what my Jesus came to reveal!

Life's pace has never slowed. Trouble has yet to take a break, and just when it looks like I can sit back and relax, another trial presents itself. The shiny key opened another view for me. I'll never stop moving, but I can find rest in the God that created the universe. As long as the world keeps turning and I continue living, I have an important decision to make. Is my life really His or not?

Another door is unlocked and wide open now.