Nougat 23

With various conflicts at the forefronts of our minds, Peace is definitely on our bucket list in most circles. While we’ve reflected on how to attain Gods peace (with thanksgiving and intercession), it may also be instructive to explore how that peace is manifested. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat

Philippians 4:7 NLT

[7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Guarding Peace

I’ve heard of guardians of the peace, and of peacemakers, but I never really thought of God’s peace as a guardian. Yet, that is the direct promise offered us by this Pauline writer in Philippians. Let’s unpack that a little more.

In many philosophical spaces, the heart and mind are not just physical organs in the human body. They also represent roles of humanity, rather functions that distinguish us from the animal kingdom. Some contend that the heart governs our emotions, instincts and desires; while the mind is responsible for reasoning and logic, decision making based on analysis. It is worth noting that on the whole, it is accepted that a person is either logical or emotional, with limited involvement of the others in most of our actions.

If however, we have the guarantee of peace, in fact – God’s Peace – to sustain us in all circumstances, then whether we need facts to frame our decisions, or we are responding in the heart of an emotional moment, it is God Who guides the decisions we make. Let’s think about that a bit more.

In post-conflict spaces, where trauma reigns supreme, in houses where different kinds of abuse was manifested, at school where peer pressure and even bullying come as a joint force against us and our children, at the workplace where colleagues and bosses have unreasonable expectations, our clients intensify the pressure … how do we maintain balance and sanity? How do we, despite gender stereotypes of logic and emotions ensure that whatever we do, say and think on is true, right, pure, admirable, honorable, lovely, and praiseworthy(see Philippians 4:8)?

Strictly by God’s grace, and holding firmly to God’s Peace. That is, by fixing our thoughts on Y’shua, Who fills our lives with Peace, we find the seal that reduces the worry aspect of our lives to praise and prayer.

Our Nougat says that this peace is one that guards our hearts and minds. A guard protects that which is important, valuable or at risk of elopement. In the literal physical sense, our minds are protected by our skills, and our hearts by the rib cage. Solid bones that take the first impact of a blow. God’s Peace is that kind of guard. It protects our thoughts and emotions, fragile as they are. It says we are valuable.

As one songwriter says, ’perverse and foolish, oft we stray …’, are sometimes prone to walking away from the faith. For some of us, it’sa mind thing – we did the math, and this faith thing is for losers … Others of us are still trying to come to grips with how God failed to answer our prayers the way we expected. In either case, we desire the nearest exit away from Faith, far away from Salvation. But, when we have our thoughts fixed on Y’shua, even with the disappointment, God’s peace is the guard that transforms the elopement risk into a testimony of persevering Faith. I assure you that is true, I’ve met folks who’ve got the scars and are still faithful.

I encourage us today to commit this ‘work-week’ to God, with prayer, intercession and thanksgiving, so come what may – God’s Peace prevails.

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May all we seek be found in Christ