I don’t know about you but I am more thankful than ever for the Scriptures; all of the stories and songs and teachings that have been faithfully recorded for us and passed on over many centuries.

The Scriptures have come alive even more for me during this pandemic season. Every verse I read seems more relevant to me today than it ever has before.

One example is a verse from Colossians 3:15. It’s a common verse, yet it has taken on a new meaning for me lately.

It says, And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (Colossians 3:15, NLT)

An age of Un-Peace.

The idea of peace ruling in our hearts is powerful. But our world is so filled with “anti-peace” or “un-peace” right now.

There is fear “in the air.”

fears about the pandemic and our health
fears about the government response to the pandemic
fears about the economic implications over time
fears about our future – both as individuals and as a country
if you wear a mask you are accused of being afraid
if you don’t wear a mask you are accused of being ignorant

There is anger all around us.

protests and demonstrations in the streets
the political divide seems to be growing
anger about losing employment
anger about school re-opening and all the challenges there
and you can probably add to the list

There is an increase of division in the body of Christ.

is the pandemic being used to stifle the free worship of churches?
should we be caring about the pandemic at all?
it hasn’t really hit us that hard, has it?
should we wear masks in church services?
should we care about physical distance?

Into this environment we hear the voice of God saying, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” What does that mean for us in these days?

Sit down in your heart.

The Greek word peace means ‘harmony’ or ‘tranquility.’ It can be expressed in a negative sense like this: ‘to be without trouble’, or ‘to have no worries’ or, ‘to sit down in one’s heart.’

I really love that last phrase: ‘to sit down in one’s heart.’ That is peace!

When there is anger all around us and fear ‘in the air’, in Christ we can still be at peace. It can be as if we are sitting down, chillin’ by the fire, in our hearts, knowing that God’s got this.

Put on some great shoes.

I also find it interesting that when Paul talks about the armor of God, he describes peace as shoes we are to wear.

What do shoes do for you? A bad pair of shoes can negatively affect your entire body. Your feet get sore, your legs start to ache, your back gets out of alignment, you get headaches and all kinds of trouble, just from a bad pair of shoes!

What is fear doing to you? What is anger doing to you? Everything is tense. Everything aches. It causes all kinds of trouble.

What does it feel like to slip on a great pair of shoes after you have worn a bad pair for a while? It’s awesome! It’s amazing! You feel younger. You can walk for hours. You have so much more energy.

This is what the shoes of peace do for our soul. The shoes of peace rejuvenate us and give us new energy and a new foundation to walk on.

Let peace control you.

The word for ‘rule’ in this verse is a Greek word that means “to control the activity of someone. In this case, that “someone” is yourself. The implication of what Paul is saying here is that the ‘peace of Christ’ wants to control you. And Paul is encouraging us to let that happen. Let the Peace of Christ control you.

Instead of letting the age of Un-Peace control you, let the Peace of Christ control you.

Sit down in your heart and chill out.
Slip on a great pair of shoes.
Let peace control you.

Today, let's pray this scripture over the people and situations in our lives.

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (Colossians 3:15, NLT)

Pray for the peace of Christ to rule...

In your heart. Spend a moment with the Lord in silent prayer. Asking Jesus to give you a deep sense of peace in your heart. Don't leave or move on until you sense that his peace is there.
In "the body" - the church of Jesus. There are so many issues that can divide the body of Christ right now. Let's pray that the Lord would give a peace and unity to his church.
In your home. Pray over your home. Go outside and pray over the four corners of your property. Pray against any work of the enemy that would come against you. Ask the Lord for a hedge of protection over your home.

In His Grip, Pastor Steve

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