Last week I was meeting in a little group with a few men. One of them shared that when he graduated from high school, his favorite nun gave him a cross with this little quote on it: "May the peace of Christ disturb you profoundly."
What do you think of that? Should the peace of Christ disturb you? If it disturbs you, should it disturb you profoundly?
I kept bringing our little group discussion back to that thought, and I have thought about it many times in the last few days. What disturbs me profoundly? Slow traffic? High taxes? Negative political ads? Mean-spirited people? War? Death? Abortion? Hatred? Abuse of children and women? Slavery? Arrogance?
Am I disturbed by what disturbs Jesus?
Does Jesus disturb me?
What is the peace of Christ? Is that different from the peace of God?
What would it mean to be profoundly disturbed by Jesus?
Jesus came to disturb us. He came to shock us out of our deadness. He came to give us life. Life is very profound and very disturbing to a dead person!
Peace is not just something we gain when we die. Peace is for the living. Jesus says He will give us a peace that the world does not even understand . . . peace that is beyond comprehension . . . peace that transcends circumstances and even tragedy. That kind of peace is disturbing . . . profoundly disturbing!
What kind of peace are you experiencing? If it is the peace of Jesus, it should engulf you. It should flow out of you. It should surprise people. It should disturb your old way of being. Look for it. Wonder about it. Ask for it. Experiment with it. Nurture it. Let it come over you.
Jesus is the most important person in history. The more I travel and the more people I meet, the more certain I am that He is the One to follow. He is the Prince of Peace. He is profound, and He is disturbing.
May He and His peace disturb you profoundly today and into all the amazing tomorrows . . . .
We love you and are praying for God's best for you. We are praying for peace.
Stan
"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." Jesus, from John 14:27