Week 8 Day 1
I Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
This complex recipe for attaining to the peace of God is very simply expressed but can be oh so difficult to master if we try to do achieve any of these “commands” in our own strength. These marvelous points of peace can only arise out of a heart that is truly given over to the Lord Jesus. Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
And there is the rub. When our eyes are on the world there arises in us the pride and self-centeredness, the acute awareness of how unjust and unfair the world really is. Paul’s invitation, his recommendation, his command if you will is to learn, to exert our will in the strength we are given to look above and beyond the world and see the glory of heaven. When we have met his Spirit all of this begins to make sense in a way that is so counter-intuitive as to be revolutionary. We see, what we choose to focus upon. Hebrews 12:2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
What are you looking at today?
“O soul are you weary and troubled,
no light in the darkness you see.
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free
Turn your eyes upon Jesus…” (Helen Lemmel , Public Domain
Larry M Lawrence- Mysteries 