By Cheryl Saur of St. Charles, Missouri, USA
A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped… And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”.
When I was about 10 years old, we lived in a small town in Kansas, USA. It was springtime, a time when the weather brought many violent storms and tornadoes. During one of these violent thunderstorms, I was hiding my head under the covers and praying as hard as I could. I was scared. As thunder shook the house at the same time lightning flashed, I looked out from under the covers. I saw my mother standing by the window in the room where three of us kids slept. I instantly felt a calmness come over me because she was there. She sensed that I needed her. She came over to me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
On our life journey we will walk many paths. Sometimes these paths will be dark and lonely, and we will feel empty. Waves of fear will threaten to overwhelm us. Our journey will also, perhaps, take us through desert places, where our Spirits will be parched, and we will find no nourishment. However, there will also be many times when our cups will be filled to overflowing, our souls will find sustenance within the circle of God’s profound love, and we will find peace. God will bring calm to the frightened and will quiet our fears. Jesus will always whisper, “Peace, be still.”
O God of Inner Peace,
Wash over us with your healing Spirit as we bask in the warm glow of your fathomless love. In you, we will be refreshed, strengthened, and made whole. We thank you for your son, Jesus, who walked before us, continues to live within us, and brings calm to the waves of our fears. We embrace this journey of faith, and we will not be afraid. Amen.
God, where is your Spirit leading next?
Prayer Phrase
“We, who are many, are one body in Christ” (Romans 12:5).
Spiritual Practice
Spiritual Learning
Meditate on a time when you learned about community from someone who took you in, fed you, taught you, shared stories and wisdom with you. What did you learn? Prayerfully create a list of qualities you need to learn from spiritual mentors and friends. Then write the names of people who serve as teachers, models, coaches, or encouragers in your life as a disciple. Offer a prayer of gratitude and blessing for these spiritual “relatives” and friends.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.