Perfect Peace; Perfect Rest

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"  
- Psalms 91:1-2  

This morning I'm captivated by the peace that is found at the foot of the cross; peace and rest that only come in the presence of our Heavenly Father.  

Satan is the master of unrest, deception, lies, worry; he is the one that causes us to question our worth, our ability to be used by God. He brings about the chaos that exists in our lives and we allow him this control when we question, doubt and/or give others in our life the ability to pull us away from the cross and distract our view.  

In Matthew 14 we see Peter stepping out of the boat when Jesus called him - "Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. 
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus."  

At this point Peter knew there was safety in the presence of Christ and had no doubt that he could walk on the water. But in an instant Peter did what I do so often and took his eyes off The Master and focused on the wind and the waves vs. The Lighthouse - "...When he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 

With so much fear and trembling going on in the world today from ISIS to unemployment to border insecurity to church and Christan persecution, to the simple fears of how am I going to provide for my family - why do we worry? As Christians we should be the stabilizing forces - the rocks - that the rest of the world sees and asks "why don't you seem to be worried or afraid?" And when that occurs, we can be the perfect picture of what Peter called us to when he said "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you..." 1 Peter 3:15. Too many times though, I hear Christ say to me "You of little faith, why did you doubt?”  

My prayer today is that God will grant me the tunnel vision I need to stay focused on Him when the waves toss and turn around me; to be the beacon He uses to show another the peace that is found in His presence. Then, when questioned about the hope and peace that seems to be present, I pray that He will give me the words to point the inquisitor to the cross!  

As the words to a great Fanny Crosby song say... 
Jesus, keep me near the cross, 
There a precious fountain 
Free to all, a healing stream 
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain. 

In the cross, in the cross, 
Be my glory ever; 
Till my raptured soul shall find 
Rest beyond the river.

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