Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Prayer for specific good things (Matthew 7:7-11) is part of “the prayers of all saints” that ascend “before the throne” of God (Revelation 8:3-4). Another of God’s good things available to us through prayer is peace. God’s peace is more than a sense of serenity (although it includes that); it is His best to us. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” When we pray together on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings, a discernible calmness descends on the congregation, just as this passage promises. Similarly, all of us can testify to times of personal prayer when our anxiety was ameliorated. Sometimes at night, I fall asleep while I am praying; perhaps I am the only one who has done this, but I doubt it! Well, “He giveth His beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2b). It is part of “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding.”