God’s Mobile

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God’s Mobile
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:25-27

At about five p.m. every day, my son gets a bit cranky. For a while, I tried everything to help him settle down. I would let him look in the mirror, grab his favorite toy, sing him a song…and while some of these techniques worked for a few minutes, inevitably my son would squirm and fuss and look away. Then one day, I decided to take him outside. I put a blanket under a tree and we sat together. Forty-five minutes later we were still sitting under that tree as my son squealed and kicked his legs in delight each time the wind blew the leaves.

Now on most days around five o’clock, my son and I head outside and we lie on our backs and under the tree. Sure, I could be inside getting dinner going or cleaning up, but there is something incredibly serene and peaceful about watching the breeze tickle the leaves of a tree.

In those moments, I feel I can simply breathe in God’s promise of peace, as my son and I stare at what my husband calls “God’s Mobile.” The tree, the way the branches and leaves move are wonderfully complex and simple all at the same time. Isn’t it that way with the world? There are so many complexities, anxieties and worries, but God gently whispers, You have my peace. Rest in me.

God’s peace is different from what the world says peace is. It is not the absence of conflict, it is the assurance that God is in control. Peace comes from knowing that those who call on His name have eternal hope and life in Him. We do not need to let fear or sin or anxiety or doubt restrain us from living a life with a peaceful heart. With God’s promise, we can be courageous even when inevitable troubles come our way.

Going Deeper:

1. What worries and anxieties plague you? How can you, even in troubling times, lean on God’s promise of peace?
2. Take a minute today to meditate on the verses above. What is God trying to say to you?

Further Reading:
Psalm 16:8-11; Matthew 11:28-29; Philippians 4:6,7