Sleepy days...

I don't know about all parents, but mine have this fascination with seeing me at rest. Although being 25, and making every effort to be as 'grown' as possible while still holding on to that childlike wonder, I still find myself the most comfortable with Mom & Dad around. I have been blessed to have parents love me so much it makes them crazy. Most of what I have come to know about God I've learned by watching the way they love me, my brother, and each other. If I were to guess I would say that being a parent is the closest you can come to experiencing the way God loves His children. Their love is unrelenting and nearly impossible to understand.

My parents love these moments (enough to find a camera). Sleeping sound, at peace, and safely in their watch. They STILL come check on me in the middle of the night when we are under the same roof. Maybe because they want to be reassured (of what? that I'm safe from the boogieman?), but mostly I think it is because they love to experience me at peace. This makes me wonder about the love of my heavenly Father. So often we get caught up in the rules, the obedience, the legality... and I don't know how much we are trying to understand the LOVE behind it. When he IS love.. shouldn't that be the first and most important we should seek to understand, or demonstrate?

Philippians 4:4-7 is a verse I could write PAGES breaking down... and probably will... but right now I want to understand the peace that is talked about.

Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Here, the peace comes with three given characteristics...

#1 this particular peace is from God (it's not something we can reach, meditate, chant, or buy)

#2 it is transcending, meaning that it moves through and beyond our own barriers and limitations

#3 it is given as a guard to your heart and mind

With my handy dandy iphone Concordance (and yes, they have an app for that), I look up the word used for peace in this particular scripture. So... maybe I'm a nerd but if it means I get to know Him in the way He intended me to... I'm all for it. 

The Greek word eirene (who's root is literally 'to join'), is the word used to describe the state of national tranquility. Meaning, this is the word used to express those times that were exempt from the havoc of war. It is also used relationally to show harmony and concord between people. Because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous, it was impossible to explain  things like security and growth or abundance, without first noting to this state of eirene used in Philippians 4:4. 

This is what I got from this ONE word... God wants to give me peace. HIS peace. It is different and far better than my own which comes from my own rationalizations and efforts. When I am desperately trying to understand the world around me, with my puny little mind, I am at WAR. I was not created to comprehend our travesties. Having them as the focus of my life only takes me away from being in harmony with Him. Any understanding I receive should come from Him, not me. Without taking an active effort to pursue and understand HIM, it is impossible to have the peace needed for things like security, safety, personal growth, and abundance. I never came to realize how much my Father DESIRES to bless my until He became my desire, where there was no peace of mind I could find on my own and I had to go to Him. Ask anyone who was dropped into a moment of desperate faith and turned to Him, He shows up, to say the least.

I know that like my parents are, He is happy to see me at rest now. Yes, this life is crazy and sometimes I suffer from some spiritual amnesia, forgetting that I am not the one in control. It is then I have to remember to seek Him, ask for his peace to escape the havoc of war, and He gives it to me. I no longer ask to understand, His peace transcends that. My toughest battle has been to learn that some things were never meant for us to understand here on earth, and I know that when I get to heaven they really won't matter anymore. All that will matter will be His overwhelming love all around me, the Joy in dwelling with Him, the peace our internal and physical wars, and the over whelming TRUTH that...

HE HAS THE VICTORY!!!!

Sleep well, 

Ren