"Then" -- God's Recipe For Peace

OK, so a couple of you suggested we make the next RST about the two texts we closed our last RST with--Philippians 4:6,7 and John 14:27 (slackers! check 'em out yourselves!:-) Truth be told, these texts speak pretty well (at least on occasion) to the state of our lives so I'm always up for talking about 'em, and for me, especially right about now, I'm feelin' 'em (and deeply :-)

Here's the first one in the NIV: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It sounds like this in the NLT: Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 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.

Love (and hate :-) that little word "then." I have no trouble remembering the part about "you will experience God's peace" but I often gloss over the fact that the word immediately preceding that phrase is "then" which of course implies it's an "if-then" proposition--actually, it implies nothing, it comes right out and says it: don't worry about anything, pray about everything, tell Him what you need, thank Him for what He's already done, and THEN you'll experience God's peace. How true is that?

Then...

The text in John goes like this in the NIV: 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.

And like this in the NLT: I am leaving you with a gift, peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.

Love that little phrase "I do not give to you as the world gives." Man, is THAT the truth. "Stuff" might be able to distract me and soothe me for a little while, but peace? Real, actual, peace? Nope; just one Source, and that's the truth.

So there you go, God's anxiolytics. Read 'em again, slowly this time, 'cause they really do contain His recipe for peace...

You've been prayed for today...