In A Time Of Peace

It was somewhat of a peaceful day today. Busy, but peaceful. I had moments of missing and thinking of Mom, and filling up with emotions during those times. But that is to be expected.

In the moments of peace today, my mind went back to when Mom was in the hospital. We were not in much peace at that time. It was as if we were in a war. Cancer waged war on Mom's body and we were in the midst of a fierce battle. We were with her day and night. It was intense and at times, all we could do was watch and pray.

The normal routine of life was completely thrown off. My regular devotional time with the Lord was put on the back burner. Between nurses, doctors, procedures, praying and worshipping together...we had no time for anything else.

I remember having a conversation in the hospital with Dad regarding this very thing — how it is so difficult in a storm to regularly keep up with our intimate devotional time with the Lord. Dad made a statement that resonated with me. He said that kings prepare for war in a time of peace.

Our personal walk with the Lord is so important to cultivate during the peaceful times in our lives. It is so easy not to turn to the Lord when things are going well -- it seems as if everyone runs to Him when things are going off the rails. But it is during those times of peace and calm that we should press into the Lord and learn of Him. It will fill us with His presence and give us what we need when those trials take control.

In II Chronicles 14, while Judah was experiencing a time of rest, King Asa prepared his kingdom: “He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment…and he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest.” (verses 4 & 6). King Asa was preparing for what could take place in the future. Although it was peaceful in Judah at the time, he still built fortified cities for protection; prepared and ready for what could come.

This storm took us by complete surprise. We had no time to prepare in that moment. We had to have been prepared in our walk with the Lord beforehand during our times of peace and rest.

It took a little bit of time for me to get back into somewhat of a routine again. And I am still working at it. Things are different now, and we are still finding our way in this new journey we are on. We will never be free of storms here on this earth. But we can prepare for those storms in a time of peace. Take time with Jesus today. He is worth your time in the peaceful as well as the stormy moments. He will give you what you need when you need it…and He will see you through it.