"Be Led Out With Peace"

It's Sunday, and I think we all need a little bit of  "peace" today.

So I am going to share some pictures with you from my day yesterday, beginning with my early morning journey around "Still Waters Pond" in the kayak.

These pictures speak peace to me.

I hope they do to you as well.

As you can see, the lilies and the lily pads are very prolific here in our pond...

It was early, and the water lilies were just beginning to open their beautiful faces to the sun.

Isn't it interesting to see the veins of life on the undersides of these lily pads? From looking at the tops of the lily pads, one would never imagine that they have such intricate details underneath.

Kind of like us human beings! From looking at the outward appearance, 

one would never imagine just how intricate the details of our lives must be on the inside.

You know, God created each of us uniquely wonderful, with different talents, gifts, traits, abilities and purpose. Except for identical twins, none of us look exactly the same on the outside.

But on the inside we each have all the same parts that are necessary for life.

Heart, brain, skeleton, blood vessels, muscles, all other organs, and blood.

We may not all think the same or like the same things, but if you take away any of the above mentioned parts, we could not function properly and would most likely die.

And just as our body functions better when each part works the way it is supposed to,

our society also functions better when each one does his part as designed.

When people start pulling apart and fighting against one another, our society does not function well at all. And when our society is at odds with one another, our inward being also becomes dysfunctional and out of sorts.

Many of us are feeling that kind of dysfunction right now because of the state of our country.

We are struggling and hurting and grieving, and we need comfort and peace.

I hope you don't mind if I insert these pictures of this beautiful Red Shouldered Hawk right here. He was outside my window, doing what hawks do...looking for his next meal.

I think he spied something...

And then he spied me.   

After this photo he flew to the ground, snatched up his prey, (I think it was an unlucky lizard), and off he went. But he was doing what hawks do. Maintaining the balance of nature and the food chain...

So, what are we doing? Are we doing our part to help maintain peace in this time of turmoil and anxiety in our world?  I know at times we really don't know what our part is, except to "abide by all the rules" and live responsibly. But our inner peace is being eroded away and we are finding it more difficult each day to maintain our own balance, especially when we are seeing things coming apart at the seams. Many of us are being stirred up inwardly to do more and to take a stand for what we believe is right.

Yesterday, a dear friend of mine wrote about her feelings about this and looking for "signs" that God was listening and that He was there with her. (See "Signs" by my friend Susie at Walking Butterfly) .

As I was reading her beautifully written post and writing my comment at the end, God truly did provide a "sign" that He was listening...

Here is what I saw outside my window while I was writing to her--

This beautiful Mourning Dove sitting in the tree.

And here is what I wrote to Susie as I saw this dove sitting there:

"Oh, just as I am sitting here writing this to you, I am looking outside through the window that is right in front of me above my computer, and there is a Dove sitting in the pine tree out there, just sitting there in the tree, looking around without a care in the world it would seem. He is at peace…and he speaks peace to me. Doves are a sign from God of the Holy Spirit and of God’s peace. Also a sign from God to Noah when the flood waters were receding and it was safe to go out of the boat. What do I see in this “sign” just as I am sitting here writing to you? God says He is sending His peace to us through His Holy Spirit, and we will soon be able to go out from our “Ark” of protection and back into the world as the “waters” are receding…the waters of this virus…the waters of fear and doubt. "

As I wrote these words, I was praying in my own heart that it was really true...that God was indeed reminding us that He is still in control, and He wants us to be at peace in our inward being.  And He also gives us hope that there is an end in sight...the "waters" are receding, and we will soon be back on 

safe ground. 

We read this morning in our devotions from Isaiah 55.  Here are a few verses of hope and comfort:

1.  "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, 

come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

Come, buy and eat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2.  Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

and your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

and let your soul delight itself in abundance..."

6.  "Seek the Lord while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.

7.  Let the wicked forsake his way, 

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord,

and He will have mercy on him;

and to our God,

for He will abundantly pardon."

8.  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.

9.  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

and My thoughts than your thoughts.

10.  For as the rain comes down,

and the snow from heaven,

and do not return there,

but water the earth,

and make it bring forth and bud,

that I may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11.  So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

but it shall accomplish what I please, 

and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12.  For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace;

The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you,

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13.  Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,

and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;

And it shall be to the Lord for a name,

For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

 "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace." 

Good night my friends.

May the Peace of the Lord be with you.

Amen.