I’ve Got Peace Like a River

Posted On November 8, 2020

“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.”

John 14:27 NIV

In the story “The Horse and his Boy” in The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis writes about a boy named Shasta who thinks he is “the most unfortunate boy that ever lived.” Everything has been going wrong for him. In this scene he is lost in the dark, cold and hungry, and feeling miserable . . .

“‘I do think,’ said Shasta, ‘that I must be the most unfortunate boy that ever lived in the whole world. Everything goes right for everyone except me. . . .’

And being very tired and having nothing inside him, he felt so sorry for himself that the tears rolled down his cheeks.

What put a stop to all this was a sudden fright. Shasta discovered that someone or somebody was walking beside him. It was pitch dark and he could see nothing. And the Thing (or Person) was going so quietly that he could hardly hear any footfalls. What he could hear was breathing. . . .

At last he could bear it no longer.

‘Who are you?’ he said, scarcely above a whisper.

‘One who has waited long for you to speak,’ said the Thing. It’s voice was not loud, but very large and deep. . . .

‘I can’t see you at all,’ said Shasta, after staring very hard. Then (for an even more terrible idea had come into his head) he said, almost in a scream, ‘You’re not — not something dead, are you? Oh, please — please do go away. What harm have I ever done you? Oh, I am the unluckiest person in the whole world!'”

C. S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia

“How long must I endure trouble? How long will sorrow fill my heart day and night? How long will my enemies triumph over me?”

Psalm 13:2 GNT

On top of all the other troubles Shasta has had to endure, now there is Someone (or Something) terrifying walking right next to him in the dark. Have you ever felt like poor Shasta? I think we all have, especially this year. Just when we think we can’t take any more craziness, a new tribulation surfaces to rob us of our peace. How do we deal with all the stresses surrounding us? How do we let our souls rest amid the constant strife we seem to be facing every day?

Charles F. Stanley reminds us that even though we may not be able to change the circumstances around us, we can transform our thinking:

“Do you long for deep, abiding peace? Does your soul need rest from the worries and stresses that surround you? Your anxiety is a tellale sign that your focus isn’t where it should be. Instead of rejoicing in the strength, wisdom, and love of God, you’ve allowed your attention to be consumed by the details of your circumstances. You are so busy trying to figure out how to fix your situation that you’ve forgotten that the only effective solution is to submit yourself to God. . . . Therefore, you must learn to think differently, or as Romans 12:2 instructs, ‘Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.'”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

Only God has all the resources we need to deal with our problems. He knows what we’re going through. Not only that, He knows what we will face in the future. If we ask Him, He will give us the wisdom and strength we need to face today’s difficulties and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges. But we have to focus on Him and listen for His voice. Rev. Stanley reminds us that the most important thing we can do is begin every day in prayer and in the Word. We can also remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in the past. When we connect to God in this way, He gives us the guidance we need and the peace we long for.

“PEACE A condition or sense of harmony, well-being, and prosperity. The biblical concept means more than the absence of hostility, and it is more than a psychological state. . . . God’s ‘covenant of peace’ with His people would involve the assurance of an enduring relationship with the One who is our peace . . . and a pledge to protect their welfare and to abundantly bless them by His divine grace, wisdom, and power . . . .”

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary

As the scene continues, Shasta discovers more about the One walking beside him . . .

“Once more he felt the warm breath of the Thing on his hand and face. ‘There,’ it said, ‘that is not the breath of a ghost. Tell me your sorrows.’

Shasta was a little reassured by the breath: so he told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. And then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all their dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert. And he told about the heat and thirst of their desert journey and how they were almost at their goal when another lion chased them and wounded Aravis. And also, how very long it was since he had had anything to eat.

‘I do not call you unfortunate,’ said the Large Voice.

‘Don’t you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?’ said Shasta.

‘There was only one lion,’ said the Voice. . . . ‘I was the lion.’ And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. ‘I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.'”

C. S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV

The Lord walks beside us every day. He has always been there, working behind the scenes to help us along, and He will always be there to guide us. The key is to trust Him to provide exactly what we need exactly when we need it. Max Lucado reminds us to focus on the present instead of worrying about the future:

“Remember how he taught us to pray? ‘Give us day by day our daily bread’ (Luke 11:3 NKJV). This simple sentence unveils God’s provision plan: live one day at a time. God disclosed the strategy to Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness. . . . God had resources they knew nothing about, solutions outside their reality, provisions outside their possibility. . . . Heaven still has her manna house. The bushes still hide quail. And you still have today. Don’t sacrifice it on the altar of anxiety. . . . He sends help at the hour we need it. You don’t have wisdom for tomorrow’s problems. But you will tomorrow. You don’t have resources for tomorrow’s needs. But you will tomorrow. You don’t have courage for tomorrow’s challenges. But you will when tomorrow comes. What you do have is manna for the morning and quail for the evening: bread and meat for the day. God meets daily needs daily and miraculously. He did then, he does still, and he will for you.” (Max Lucado, Every Day Deserves a Chance)

Max Lucado, Every Day Deserves a Chance

Rev. Lucado instructs us to “stay” our minds on Christ when we pray and to remember God’s goodness and faithfulness. When we focus on God’s blessings, we drive away anxiety. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV), we are instructed to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Like all of God’s commands, this is not for His benefit, but for ours. God doesn’t want us to go through life anxious and confused. He wants to give us His peace. That’s why He tells us to keep our eyes fixed on Him. We are told in Isaiah the benefits of obedience:

“This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
‘I am the Lord your God,
    who teaches you what is best for you,
    who directs you in the way you should go.
If only you had paid attention to my commands,
    your peace would have been like a river,
    your well-being like the waves of the sea.'”

Isaiah 48:17-18 NIV

When we obey God’s commands, we avoid unnecessary hardships. We have peace like a river and well-being like the waves of the sea. When we worship Him in thankfulness and praise, we can’t help but be filled with serenity and joy. As Rev. Lucado explains, “If God is enough for you, then you’ll always have enough, because you’ll always have God.”

“Walking with the Lord ‘in peace and uprightness’ . . . means to maintain harmony with Him by faith and obedience and so to enjoy His peace . . . . Like shalom, the term in the NT [New Testament] could refer not only to the absence of hostility, strife, and disorder . . . but also to the condition and sense of being safe and secure . . . .”

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary

As Shasta discovers, one glance at the King of kings is enough to surround us with light and fill us with peace . . .

“‘Who are you?’ asked Shasta.

‘Myself,’ said the voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook . . . .

Shasta was no longer afraid that the Voice belonged to something that would eat him, nor that it was the voice of a ghost. But a new and different sort of trembling came over him. Yet he felt glad too.

The mist was turning from black to grey and from grey to white. This must have begun to happen some time ago, but while he had been talking to the Thing he had not been noticing anything else. Now, the whiteness around became a shining whiteness; his eyes began to blink. Somewhere ahead he could hear birds singing. He knew the night was over at last. He could see the mane and ears and head of his horse quite easily now. A golden light fell on them from the left. He thought it was the sun.

He turned and saw, pacing beside him, taller than the horse, a Lion. The horse did not seem to be afraid of it or else could not see it. It was from the Lion that the light came. No one ever saw anything more terrible or beautiful. . . .

And of course he knew none of the true stories about Aslan, the great Lion, the son of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea, the High King above all kings in Narnia. But after one glance at the Lion’s face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn’t say anything but then he didn’t want to say anything, and he knew he needn’t say anything.

The High King above all kings stooped towards him. Its mane, and some strange and solemn perfume that hung about the mane, was all round him. It touched his forehead with its tongue. He lifted his face and their eyes met. Then instantly the pale brightness of the mist and the fiery brightness of the Lion rolled themselves together into a swirling glory and gathered themselves up and disappeared. He was alone with the horse on a grassy hillside under a blue sky. And there were birds singing.”

C. S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia

“Have faith in your journey. Everything had to happen exactly as it did to get you where you’re going next.”

Mandy Hale, as quoted in Guideposts

God has a plan. He is in charge, and He knows what’s best. When we stay connected to Him in faith and follow Him in obedience, He will lead us on our journey. When we submit to Him, we can turn over all of our worries and fears. We can rest in His care and sleep in peace.

“Peace is God’s gift to you, but you cannot have it apart from a close, intimate relationship with Him. . . . Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God. . . . Considering that David had so many enemies, it is difficult to imagine him getting a good night’s sleep. However, David knew that he could rely upon God for his safety and peace. This was the result of his faithful walk with the Lord. David was committed to obeying God and keeping his focus continually on Him. Because of that, David had peace — even in the worst situations.”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

The book of Psalms is full of prayers, pleas, and praises to God. My study Bible includes the following in the introduction to this book: “Living by faith is not easy. It was not for David; it was not for Jesus either. These powerful poems of praise and worship, some of the most beautiful ever written, offer no magical formulas to make troubles go away. Yet, while real-life questions, struggles, and discouragements have a strong voice in these poems, more powerful still is the voice of joy and security in the strength and fortress of Israel: the Lord himself.” No matter what we are facing, we can have confidence in God’s power. We can have faith in His compassion. We can find rest for our weary souls.

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8 NIV

In Psalm 34:14 (NIV), we are instructed to “seek peace and pursue it.” How do we do this? Max Lucado explains our role in obtaining God’s peace:

“As we do our part (rejoice in the Lord, pursue a gentle spirit, pray about everything, and cling to gratitude), God does his part. He bestows upon us the peace of God. Note, this is not a peace from God. Our Father gives us the very peace of God. He downloads the tranquility of the throne room into our world, resulting in an inexplicable calm. We should be worried, but we aren’t. We should be upset, but we are comforted. The peace of God transcends all logic, scheming, and efforts to explain it. This kind of peace is not a human achievement. It is a gift from above.”

Max Lucado, Anxious for Nothing

The peace of God is supernatural power that cannot be obtained apart from Him. It is His gift to us, a gift that finds fulfillment in His Son. Because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for our sins, the battle with sin and darkness has already been won. We have God’s peace: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 NIV).

“The gospel message was called ‘the gospel of peace’ . . . . The world cannot achieve or provide peace . . . because it cannot deal with the problem of sin. Thus God’s peace that guards the Christian’s heart and mind ‘surpasses every thought’ . . . .”

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary

This week the principle I studied in Rev. Stanley’s book 30 Life Principles was “Listening to God is essential to walking with God.” Rev. Stanley discusses how important it is to listen, not just talk, in prayer. So I decided to really try to do this. I went for a walk, trying to focus on God and commune with Him in prayer, and not let my mind wander into my usual daily worries and concerns. I kept listening for His voice, waiting for Him to speak. I kept listening . . . and kept waiting. I had songs going through my head, espcially the song “Peace Like a River.” I had been considering that song for this post, so I thought maybe I just wasn’t focusing hard enough. I tried to clear my mind and feel the wind and look at the trees and listen to the birds . . . I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river. . . . No! Don’t you hate it when a song gets stuck in your head? I felt like I must be failing miserably at this. I mean, I usually “hear” God’s voice through my daily readings. I’ve never been good at hearing Him in prayer. That’s okay. I figured I could learn to do this if I just focused harder. I cleared my mind again and tried to focus . . . I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river. . . . Ugh! Oh well, maybe next time. I decided to just let the song keep playing in my head, since it seemed to be stuck there. Then I noticed two birds drinking water from a puddle in the road, and I thought, At least they’re not worried about anything. Then God’s message hit me loud and clear: They’re not worried about anything, so I shouldn’t be either. God met their needs. He’ll meet mine, too. I can just relax and let Him take care of everything. I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul. That’s all God wanted to tell me. Just to have peace. God will take care of me. He will take care of you, too.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Matthew 6:26 NIV

This week’s Scripture passages focus on God’s peace and encourage us to share it with others. There is a printer-friendly pdf version below the image. I have also included a video of “Peace Like a River.” This arrangement, by Mark Hayes, is one of my favorites. I’m trying to learn to play it, but I’ve got a long way to go. I was lucky enough to find a video of it on YouTube posted by Lakewood Presbyterian Church in Lakewood, OH. Their pianist does an amazing job with this song. I hope you enjoy it!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NIV

References:

• Brand, Chad, et. al., editors. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Holman Reference, 2003.
• Lewis, C. S. “The Horse and his Boy.” The Chronicles of Narnia, Harper Entertainment, 2005, pp. 199-310.
• Lucado, Max. Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World. Thomas Nelson, 2017.
• Lucado, Max. Every Day Deserves a Chance: Wake Up to the Gift of 24 Hours. Thomas Nelson, 2007.
• The New Student Bible, New International Version. Zondervan Publishing House, 1992.
• “Peace Like a River (Hayes).” YouTube, uploaded by Lakewood Presbyterian Church, 19 May 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpSYSK66ZvY.
• Stanley, Charles F. 30 Life Principles Study Guide: A Study for Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
• The Up Side: Quotes from Today’s Positive Thinkers. Guideposts, October 2020, pp. 8-9.

Images:

• Peace Dove featured image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
• Divider Calligraphy image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
• Dark Forest Path image by DarkmoonArt_de from Pixabay
• Lion image by JL G from Pixabay
• Birds in Blue Sky image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay
• Doves image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
• Flock of Birds image by Please Don’t sell My Artwork AS IS from Pixabay
• Peace Dove image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay