Peace like a river

Kate and I have been saying a prayer on the way to school in the mornings: “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” She asked me one day what peace means. Trying to whittle it down to its most basic, I told her it meant having a calm heart. 

There’s a phenomenon in some parts of the oceans where air currents and waves have no effect on the deepest waters. No matter what is happening on the surface of the ocean — a light chop or hurricane-force winds and waves — way down at the bottom, everything is still and calm. That’s what I imagine God’s peace looks like. It means trusting that God will walk with us down roads that otherwise would fill us with fear — and He will smooth our internal waters as we walk.

Years ago, I listened to a sermon by Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, and his wife about marriage. Mrs. Keller made a comment that has stayed with me ever since. She said God doesn’t play along with our imaginations and our fantasies. When we imagine or worry about what our future will look like, God doesn’t inject His grace and peace into that mental picture — the grace and peace that He will in fact give us if our lives work out in that particular way. She said not to worry about what life will be like if “the thing” happens or doesn’t happen. Regardless, God will be there, walking through it with us, pouring out His grace to enable us to get through it, whatever it is. 

When I was single, I worried about whether or not I’d get married. Once we got married and started thinking about kids, I worried that we’d never get pregnant. These days, small worries revolve around whether I’ll get a break in the afternoon while the kids nap, whether Kate will stop playing long enough to use the potty, whether Sela will grow out of her fascination with electrical sockets. But we all have bigger, much more important worries too — loved ones in pain, family members living far away, ever-present financial concerns, our children’s health and futures. 

I think it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if we don’t spend time worrying or at least thinking about these concerns, no one will, and bad things will ensue. But the truth is, all these worries, big or small, fall under the umbrella of God’s grace and care. 

Isaiah 48:18 says, “If only you had paid attention to my commands [like do not worry], your peace would have been like a river.” I long for God’s peace to fill me so completely that daily winds and waves don’t ruffle those deep, internal waters. I pray it even more for myself now that my girls are getting old enough to pick up on unspoken things — things like attitudes and moods, especially ones that are decidedly un-peaceful. As their main model of how to live, I want them to see me clinging to Jesus’ promise that, in Him, we can have peace. There may be troubles, but He has already overcome the world. 

Lauren can be reached at LaurenKDenton@gmail.com