Karl's Blog

Devotional 5.15.24

Dear Faith Family, 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid, (John 14:27). 

It happened over lunch.  It all started with: “I’ve got something I want to get your opinion on.”  My friend said let’s go now.  Off to the house we did drive.  In route I informed my wife that there would be three of us in the backyard in case she heard voices.  And just what were we talking about?  A dead pine tree of course. 

No worries, I told my wife that we weren’t going to cut it down that day.  So of course we cut it down that day.  The words of my friend?  “Where’s your chainsaw?  Are you going to cut it down, or am I?”  Down it did come.  And God graciously spared us all, including the house!  Wow!  What a relief!  That tree had my attention, I confess, in the form of anxiety.  And now, all that anxiety had come crashing down.  Peace now occupied where anxiety had ruled.  Right? 

Fast forward a couple of weeks.  Not more than eight feet from the first source of anxiety was now another!  Apparently anxiety is contagious.  That’s right.  Another dead tree.  Yikes!  It’s still standing as I write, well at least as far as I know.  I’ve called an arborist.  I’m hoping that he can surgically remove my new anxiety and plant peace in its place. 

Of course we recognize how foolish that idea sounds.  But without verbalizing it, are we guilty of looking for peace in all the wrong places?  You know, like in dead trees? 

Here’s the point.  Jesus was preparing His disciples for His physical absence.  The natural response is a troubled heart and fear.  As the created, we are prone to anxiety.  Our neediness warrants it.  So do dead trees for that matter! 

Where, then, does this peace come from?  In a world full of opportunity for anxiety (political uncertainty, challenging health concerns, stressful relationships, financial instability), where do we get peace?  Unfortunately, our default seems to be circumstantial.  Peace equals dead tree down.  So, in your mind, what circumstances will produce peace?  (Go ahead and pause to contemplate your answer.) 

In John 14, Jesus was with His disciples.  He was their peace!  He knew that the thought of His absence would lend itself to anxiety.  And in the face of their impending fear Jesus dared to tell them (and us!) not to worry or be afraid!  Why not?  What did Jesus offer us that could possibly bear the fruit of peace in our lives?  Two offerings. 

One: He promised that He was coming back.  I have a sneaky suspicion that much of what concerns us now will quickly become irrelevant.  And, when He returns, what concerns us now will take on new meaning.  We will understand the purpose of dead trees (maybe to point us to the true source of peace?). 

Two: He promised the presence of the Holy Spirit!  Right now!  Child of God, the living God dwells within you!  Now there’s a peace that never dies! 

Do I still need to cut down the dead tree?  Sure.  But I don’t need to lay awake at night worrying about it.  Peace is the presence of our God! 

Receiving His peace, 
Pastor Karl