Choosing Peace

Jesus will always get us safely to the shore.

Yesterday my daddy was scheduled for a heart procedure. Between him and my mama, my family has been through a lot of heart procedures. He had a minor heart attack over twenty years ago. My mama’s and my daddy’s hearts have taught me a lot about faith. They have taught me not to panic.

Interestingly enough, Mama sent me a text yesterday morning that included her daily devotion. She felt that it was a message straight from the Holy Spirit and felt led to share.

The verse was Isaiah 41:13, “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

The writer then went on to recount a conversation she had with Corrie Ten Boom. She said, “There is no panic in heaven, only plans. The Holy Trinity has never met in an emergency session; God has not stepped down from His throne; Jesus has not left his right hand and the Holy Spirit has not stopped interceding for you.”

The devotion went on to say that anything contrary to that truth was lies.

I thought about those words all day long. When my children were little, before they could swim, we had a pool in the backyard. I always told them if they fell in, not to panic. The pool was not that big. All they had to do was get to the side. They could dog paddle or open their eyes and walk, but never panic. Panic would make them drown.

Perhaps I knew that truth because it had been shared with me. My great uncle used to come and visit us in the summer for a few weeks. He loved to fish in my parents’ pond, but he didn’t know how to swim. One day he was fishing and he fell out of the boat. He told my mama about it long after the fact. I think she almost passed out herself, before she weakly asked him how he got out.

He told her, “Hon, I got on my hands and knees and crawled to the shore.” The man clearly did not panic.

I always remembered those words, so much so, that I passed them on to my own kids.

If we remember not to panic, Jesus will always get us safely to the shore. We have an enemy who will desperately try to steal our peace, but we are called to remember that peace is a gift from the Holy Spirit. It’s ours to guard or to forfeit.

We always have a choice.

A later text from Mama told me that when the doctor came to see Daddy, his heart was actually back in rhythm. They didn’t have to do anything after all. I could have worried all day, but what would that have accomplished?

I might have missed a blessing. We are called to choose peace. A text reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

PS My daughter is coming home from college next week. I’m going to spend every moment possible with her so I won’t be posting. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!