Experiencing Peace

Hello and welcome to this week’s Van Life devotion. Today I want to share with you about experiencing a supernatural peace.

There’s a beautiful story in the Bible of an encounter between a woman and Jesus, and the forgiveness He offered her.

In Capernaum there was a prominent Pharisee named Simon who invited Jesus to dinner. For some reason his welcome to Jesus when he arrived was casual, if not discourteous. He supplied no water to wash the dust from his sandalled feet, as was the custom. There was no kiss of welcome, as was the custom.

The meal was eaten in normal eastern fashion, with host and guests reclining on cushions around a table. One strange custom, although not uncommon, was that passing people in the street would often enter the open house and watch what was happening. Well, on this occasion it happened - woman stepped in from outside. 

Let's watch this woman: She comes behind Jesus and kneels at his feet and draws a costly jar of perfume from her dress. As she prepares to pour it gently over his feet, tears well up in her eyes. She becomes embarrassed as her tears fall on the feet of Jesus. Letting down her long her (something a respectable woman would not do), she quickly wipes away with her hair the tears from Jesus' feet.

Simon is shocked. He mutters to himself that if Jesus was really a prophet, he would know that this woman was a sinner (Luke 7:39). Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and challenged him with a story about forgiveness (Luke 7:41-42) and highlighted all the beautiful things this lady did for Him that he (Simon) didn’t do for Him (Luke 7:44-47).   

Jesus, looking at this woman who is probably wondering what is going to happen, and says to her these life changing words: “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace" (Luke 7:48,50 NIV). Wow!

We know nothing of this woman from Capernaum, except one thing, she "lived a sinful life in that town" (Luke 7:37). Whatever lifestyle she lived, she was sick of it all, sick of herself, sick of sin. She was truly repentant of her life of sin. This was shown by her tears. She had had it! She needed forgiveness, new life, and peace. And Jesus granted this.

Perhaps you are tempted into sinful activity but are sick of it, sick of yourself, and sick of your sin?

Jesus offers you peace - peace with God through forgiveness; and a supernatural peace that the Bible says “transcends all understanding, [that] guards your heart and your mind (Philippians 4:7).

Listen to this story called “The King’s Pictures”. There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, with peaceful towering mountains around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightening played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, amid the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest... perfect peace.

The King chose the second picture. "Because" explained the King, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart."

Why follow Jesus? Because He offers peace. Peace between you and God, and peace in your heart and mind.

You may be sick of your sin. You may be even sick of yourself. Because of Jesus’ death, He offers you supernatural peace. 

How do you follow Jesus? Trust and obey. Trust in faith that Jesus is God’s Son who saved you on the cross. And follow Jesus as Lord by obey His teachings.

I invite you to pray this prayer with me:

Dear God.

I am sorry for my sins.

Thank you for forgiving me.

May You grant me Your peace.

Help me to put my trust in You.

Enable me to obey Your teachings.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen. 

David Moyes