3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon 1:3 (NIV)
I may not be the first to mull over these thoughts but have you ever considered how violent and perilous nursery rhymes are? I thought it was important to help kids feel safe and secure in life yet we share with them the rhyme of the violent death of an egg man who was hopeless in the sense that no one was capable in resuscitating him. What’s the life lesson: Don’t sit on walls because people fall to their untimely deaths. A great lesson for small nursery kids.
How about this one: Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater. Do you know that one? It’s quite simple in its lesson: Peter had a wife that would take off on him all the time. So he imprisoned her in a pumpkin shell and “there he kept her very well.” Another great lesson for kids.
There’s one of a baby falling out of a tree, one of an old lady with no food in her cupboard, and another of a woman who beats her kids because she has too many that live in her shoe house. There’s also Jack and Jill and their horrible accident. Why so much darkness and destruction and pain? Why so many broken families? And why is this for kids? I have no idea. One thing I do know is that life is hard. There will be days of darkness and destruction and pain. There are days you won’t get paid, days the doctor will give you bad news, days of flood, famine, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Life is anything but peaceful. So when Paul asks God to give Philemon peace he’s asking for Philemon’s safety during perilous times.
Ever consider the story of Jesus asleep in a boat during a storm. The disciples were freaking out yet Jesus was at peace, asleep. Was He clueless of their plight or could it be that what worries us isn’t really a big deal to the all powerful God. The Prince of Peace was at peace. The Bible speaks of a peace that surpasses all understanding. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.” (Isaiah 26:3-4)
Paul did a good thing asking God’s peace to rest on Philemon. You would be good to do the same. We should be sharing God’s peace everywhere we go because life is hard and people need something to get through it. Teach people God can be trusted. When you trust Him He keeps those who do in perfect peace.
Questions to consider:
Why is God’s peace so important to share with others?
Who around you needs to know about God’s peace?
What are you going through right now that you need perfect peace to get through?
How do you get that perfect peace (If you don’t know read Isaiah 26:3-4 again)?
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