Peace -- Here Comes the Umpire!
Peace is a tough topic to wrap my brain around. We talk about peace a lot, and we really would prefer peace -- but often what we generate from our lives is chaos, fatigue, dis-organization, frustrations, and all those things that would be the opposite of peace.
We hear that God wants us to have peace in our lives -- and that sounds great. Kinda like a huge bubble encompassing us - full of nothing but soothing music, waterfalls, gentle breezes, and a nice comfy recliner. We like to think of peace as something that we receive and can simply relax in.
Well, that's not exactly the context of the scripture Colossians 3:15, where it says "Let peace rule your heart."
You see the key word in that verse is RULE.
Hang with me here as I try to define the word "rule" from its Greek roots. You see "rule" literally meant "sit as umpire". The metaphor here is an umpire (or judge) at an Olympics competition -- the person who determined who was victorious and to whom the crown (today medal) went to.
So, this Peace of God should be the umpire. When anger, jealousy, violence, fear arise, we are to let our Peace restrain them -- not let them be victorious! Christ's peace should be the decider of everything within us.
I have a little hard time wrapping my brain around this concept of Peace. But that's the way it is suppose to be. Check out this scripture:
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Posted: 2009-03-21
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