A Portrait of Peace

There is much that I would like to share on the blog, but I haven't really been able to get my thoughts together and make time for possibly lengthy blog posts. However, I do want to continue to share some thoughts and insights that come my way. So, for the next little while, I may be making a series of brief posts like this one.

I have begun to read the New Testament from the very beginning, and as I was reading in Matthew 8 today, I had a God moment. Being the second week of advent, we have been focusing on peace at church and in personal advent studies. My readings don't always relate to each other, but today God pieced things together so beautifully. He gave me a portrait of peace.

Matthew 8:23-24 from The Voice translation:

"And then Jesus got into a boat, and His disciples followed Him. Out of nowhere a vicious storm blew over the sea. Waves were lapping up over the boat, threatening to overtake it! Yet Jesus was asleep."

In this account, Jesus is the perfect portrait of peace. Of course he is asleep during a vicious storm...He is the Prince of Peace! When we follow Jesus, we are certainly sure to come across some vicious storms ourselves, but we can allow Jesus to be our peace and then we too can rest in the middle of chaos and crisis. So, in this second week of advent, I celebrate the Prince of Peace and ask Him to be my peace today and always.