
Introduction
The seemingly endless line of red tail lights marked the slow cadence of the early morning traffic. The red traffic light finally turned to the welcomed green and I immediately heard it, the sound of horns blaring, urging the cars in front of the dastardly horn blasters to hurry-up and get out of their way. The tailgaters were also in fine fashion during this early morning ritual. There was no peace to be found on this well-worn path into today’s doings.
The sun was still trying to introduce the day to the inhabitants of the room we were in. Looking around I saw many faces. These faces bore the evidence that they really did not wish to be here. Frowns of impatience, expressions of fear and doubt, weak voices whispering deep personal concerns, all these and more permeated the prevailing mood of this room. If there was any peace to be found in this room it was doing its best to hide itself, if it was there at all.
Cindy and I were in the surgical waiting room at our local hospital. An early morning routine surgery had been extended into the early afternoon. The surgeon politely knocked and cracked the door before entering. He could not hide the day's surprises from his face, he had been up since 5 AM due to an urgently needed trauma surgery. He carried his fatigue and stress heavily in his body. He assured us there was nothing to worry about, he had ridden this surgical pony many-a-time before. He face resembled that of those in the waiting room. Peace was not to be found on today’s menu for this surgeon.
As we watched the slow movements of the wall clock, I sought refuge in my daily habit (or addiction) of taking in the latest news. The apps on my phone immediately spewed noxious-toxic news fumes into my psych. War in Ukraine, rampant war crimes being uncovered, rumors of a larger war to come, civil unrest and protests on the steps of the Supreme Court building, children being subjected to the latest fad of chemical and surgical alteration to meet the demands of our new cultural “equity” crusade, climate change is going to drown many of us in the near future, an economic crisis looming on the horizon. Nope, no peace here, that’s for sure!
I turned to my own little personal bubble, Johnsonland and the extended family. My children, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters...many of them have something going on right now in their lives that is acting as a huge sucking sponge, siphoning away any peace to be had in a very efficient manner. Ugh!
Is there any peace to be had in this world?
I wrote this letter to my father when he had just moved from his beloved home and its sanctuary garage. At 98, he was a few months into his new life in an independent senior living apartment in a new city. Many of the things that gave him comfort and soothed his heart had been left behind, books, so many books, his tools, his garden, his hand-built furniture. I am sure much of his peace was left behind with them. The unknown lie ahead. I wish I could have lavished needed peace upon him, but I couldn’t. If he was to have more peace, he, himself would have to seek it out.
I hate trite sayings but this one works for me:
“No Jesus, No Peace. Know Jesus, Know Peace.”
This letter was written to my father on March 28, 2018.
Where In The World Is There Any Peace?
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Colossians 3:15
Hi Pops,

Peace. What is it? Noah Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, says this about peace: “Peace-a state of quiet or tranquility, freedom from disturbance or agitation.” I would have to think the peace of Father God goes way beyond this description. Philippians 4:7 talks about the “peace of God, which transcends all understanding…” NIV. Yes, I think His Peace goes way beyond Mr. Webster’s definition!
There is not a lot of peace going around these days in this world. Dad, you like watching the news. When was the last day in the news there was a prevailing presence of peace anywhere? If you are a news junkie like me and didn’t have a world-view that Father is in control, you could be totally stressed out about the goings on in this world. Our country and government are in endless turmoil. There are embers glowing all over the world ready to ignite into major conflicts. There is no peace in this world nor will there ever be until Jesus reigns.
We live in a corrupted world. The Grand Liar, the spirit of this world, has woven strife, envy, lust and selfishness into every fabric of our personal and world systems. The result is what we see right now in this world, starting with the demise of marriage and the family unit.
For us believers living behind enemy lines, the promise of Romans 8:28 is critical. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” NIV. When it is dark outside and turmoil prevails, when all the evidence is contradicting Father’s love and providence, I need to go deeper and exercise my trust muscle. Through prayer I can access Father’s peace, the kind that transcends human understanding. Through resting (abiding) in Jesus, he can infuse my feeble human emotions with His peace. For me it is hard to run to Him and ask for this peace when I have not been in the habit of resting in Him on a daily basis. When I have been resting in Him regularly, it is so much easier to run to Him. As any loving father, He wants us to run to him (in prayer) no matter what our habits have been of late. He is faithful. I have never had any evidence in my life that Romans 8:28 is not true!
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Romans 8:28
I had a big blowout with Taylor the other day over trust and loyalty. Huge breach in our relationship. Ran to Father’s throne in prayer about it. I had to stand firm on this Romans 8:28 promise and truth for him and myself.
Father was able to mend the breach in 24 hours. Through the discord, I was able to teach about the importance of loyalty. We discussed God’s principles of authority and Father’s plan of protection through authority, the purpose of “blessings” that a father can give his children. The result was restoration and a deeper understanding between us and a deeper bond. “All things work for good…”
Peace, what a wonderful thing.
Love you Dad
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