Reflection: The outcome of safe-refuge is – Peace

To look at my mom, you’d think she was a picture of peace. She was calm, quiet, gracious … But sleeplessness was a give-away to a mind/body/heart not at peace. She kept a notepad beside her bed to write down things that were on her restless mind. “There! That’s done. Now I can sleep!” Can you relate? 

It’s a curious thing, peace.  

Say, in the context of our topic, peace could be the result of safety:  

When there’s an absence of angst … I can sleep.  

Or, it could cause safety: 

The Lord is present; he is my peace … so I can sleep. 

Throughout Psalm 91 the author has been imagining and reimagining the latter. And throughout the Bible the emphasis is on the latter. The blessing of peace comes to those who trust in the Lord. This doesn’t downplay the hallmark of God’s good creation — the blessing of ‘peace and long life’. It just puts it in context.  

 There will be plenty of angst in life/in the world.  

But take heart! Have peace in me.  

I have defeated the world. (John 16:33, author’s paraphrase) 

 At my mom’s request, I calligraphed for their wall the words to ‘Peace, Perfect Peace’ a hymn by E.H. Bickersteth. It’s the song she enacted each night that she put pen to paper.  

Prayer:

Settle yourself and use it as today’s prayer:  

“Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?  

The blood of Jesus whispers peace within. 

Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?  

To do the will of Jesus, this is rest. 

Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?  

On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found. 

Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?  

In Jesus’ keeping we are safe, and they. 

Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?  

Jesus we know, and He is on the throne. 

Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?  

Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers. 

It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease,  

And Jesus calls us to Heaven’s perfect peace.