Finding Peace

Read Isaiah 66:10-13

This is what the Lord says: "I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream." Isaiah 66:12 (NIV)

John Schliesser, from Alabama, writes that whenever he reads Isaiah 66 where the prophet speaks about restoring peace and prosperity to Jerusalem, it reminds him of when his family lived in Berlin during the cold war. It was a city literally divided by the Berlin Wall. As a result, a certain tension always hung in the air.

One day their family stopped at the ruins of an old castle as they traveled through West Germany. Climbing up to a terrace, John looked down on the Rhine River Valley and experienced a peace that seemed to push away all the concerns in his life. God's Spirit was present, and peace was flowing over him like the river below. Although that was many years ago, John has never forgotten that moment.

With time, John has learned that the peace of the Lord is also available through prayer and meditation on scripture. We can trust the Prince of Peace with all our burdens. He will surround us like a river whenever we seek him and surrender our lives to him.

Prayer: Dear God, help us to seek your peace every day, in good times and in hard times, as we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.