Currently, I've placed myself at the nearest coffee shop to the Long Beach airport for the intake of some Descartes. Translation: I'm plopped in the booth of a McDonald's slash Chevron on the outskirts of Lakewood, Washington's twin (ironically also called Lakewood), painting my nails and blogging. The classical music is mingling overhead and I can hear the blending of McCafe's in the background; for all I know, I am lounged in the Nordstrom Cafe. The tale of why I have found myself one hour and fifty minutes north of Point Loma, camping overnight in a foreign beach side city, is a story for another time.
I am a week's wade into the waters of the spring semester of my sophomore year, and even as I awe at the ocean of the future, I find that I have doubtless been more content. Yes, even facing a neighbor's tray of McFlurry, McFries, McFilet, and McWater. Immovably satisfied. It has been over the past three days that I have dropped all of my upper-division courses, come into rocky confrontation with a dear soul, and dove into the madness that is the beginning of all things work, schedule, and stress. And yet, as I confessed to a wise mentor over a late lunch on Friday: I have never felt so strongly the presence of God's peace. Despite my lack of direction, or perhaps as it's direct result, the peace of Christ has transcended my own condition.
How fitting it was this morning, then, that Josh (the pastor of Existence Church) was chosen to share his own journey to discovering the peace of God. Our church family experienced the loss of a member earlier this week and he relayed that the Holy Spirit's nudge on his heart had been towards this topic. Yet, what he elaborated on for forty minutes was not, to use his own words, the 'peace' that we see the world offering. It is not a condolence, or an indifferent wish of "good luck!"; peace is still not the absence of conflict. Rather, our pastor articulated, it is a state of being that comes through obedience to the commands of God (John 14). Did you read that? Without just kinda skipping over in an attempt to avoid the o-word? O-bed-i-ence. Witnessing the advocate of Jesus Christ in and through our lives in a love that contends for the satisfaction of our souls does not begin when we shut our eyes and think divine thoughts. The droplets of peace are infused throughout the veins of our soul when we trust the Lord to be the king of our life. And when he rules us in His perfect love, we are moved to obedience. With this obedience, His peace He leaves to us, His peace He gives to us. This has been more than a real conviction for myself.
I find that most often the Holy Spirit speaks to me by starting a song in the track of my mind, to be replayed on repeat until I am moved to sit down, physically, and meditate on this word. Just as often, it is a Scripture in the same way. These past days, it has been more than one verse:
"A peace that passes understanding is my song" (My Hope is in You by Aaron Shust)
"And I won't worry about tomorrow. I'm trusting in what you say. Today is the day." (Today is The Day by Lincoln Brewster)
Both such simple harmonies, yet, so profound in my daily routine. Christ is my King, therefore, I am able to sing the song of peace. And I have no worries toward tomorrow, because God has already prepared each minute in perfect attention. May I live like this, friends! May it be true that no matter what surrounds us (hard plastic booths of McDonalds, blackboards and whiteboards, frustrating co-workers or employers, or even those we love the most), we remain fixed in the peace that Jesus Christ has purchased for us.
Phewww.....preaching soon to leave and tales of collegiate activities soon to arrive. Promise. Love to you aaaall.
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