“The Peace of Love"

(In memory of Sheba)

"The Peace of Love"

   

    Research indicates that petting a dog can lower your blood pressure.  I'm not sure why this is true physiologically, but it does reflect the spiritual truth of God and His trusting children in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    "I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

    Our Lord's giving nature leads Him to dwell forevermore in the peace of unselfish devotion to others.  This begins in the love of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as expressed toward one another, and then proceeds to the love of God expressed toward His creation: "The Lord is good to all and His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:9).  This same heart of altruism resides in all who trust the Lord Jesus Christ: "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5).  This leads to peace as we walk in accordance with our Lord's nature of unselfishness that now constitutes our own spiritual disposition as "partakers of the Divine nature" (II Peter 1:4).  We experience the tranquility of heart provided in Christ to the degree we devote ourselves to God and others, as enabled by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace" (James 3:17-18).

    The simple act of providing pleasure to a pet speaks to the innumerable opportunities our Lord provides to know His peace in living experience of the character and nature of the Lord Jesus.  Unselfishness quiets inner storms by leading us to journey upon the still waters of God's nature that becomes our own through Christ.  This is who He is, and this is who we are in Him.  "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8).  The Lord Jesus called us to such a life, and to the sharing of His disposition of devotion to others.  His Word promises accompanying peace, the peace of love…

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you… My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee" (John 15:12; Proverbs 3:1-2).

Weekly Memory Verse

   Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." (Proverbs 3:25-26).