Weekly Devotional 1

We hope you have enjoyed the daily devotionals that we shared during the Advent season. 
As we proceed from Advent into Epiphany and toward the special session known as General Conference 2019, we offer you a weekly devotion on peace.

“Do not be anxious about anything.” - Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

I sat on my sofa reading. My left hand was gently stroking the fur of my 9-year-old pet rabbit, Alice. Suddenly, she sat upright, her long ears focused on some threatening sound that I could not hear. There were no predators in our home to cause her harm, but I thought she might jump from the couch and bolt under the bed as she often does when startled. I spoke softly to her and continued to pet her, and she began to relax into a peaceful state. 

At that moment it occurred to me: How often do I feel anxious about insignificant things even when I know God is there? Alice’s threat felt real to her. I knew she would be fine, but she had to trust that I would take care of her. 

God encourages us not to be anxious about anything and to turn our anxieties into prayer. Yet so often, like Alice, we allow our fears to control us. How much more peaceful would our lives be if we trusted the passage from today’s reading: “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds” I find that each time I trust in those words, I can experience peace and rest with God.

Prayer: Father God, help us to remember each day that you are bigger than our worries and that you can always grant us peace. Amen.

By Michele C. Baker