Weekend Words (Easter)

Both devotionals from Beside the Still Waters...

The Peace of God - Read: John 14:15-31

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." - John 14:27

What is the peace that God wants to give to His children?  Why did Jesus say these words to His disciples?  Consider the setting; this was only hours before Jesus' arrest.  He knew that when He was captured, the disciples would go into shock and turmoil.  The Person whom they had followed for three years would suddenly be taken out of their midst.

Do we ever feel as if our world is turned upside down?  At such times we may wonder where God is.  We may go into shock as we experience abrupt, radical changes in life.  Our world seems to be falling apart and we wonder where to turn.  God is speaking to us: "Peace I leave with you."

Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  It is a great blessing to experience peace that goes beyond our understanding.  In our human perception, there are times when things make no sense.  Our situation may seem very unfair.  However, God cares for us and we can trust in Him for our every need.  We can experience God's peace as we surrender ourselves to Him.

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.  And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places" (Isaiah 32:17-18).  This is God's will for us.  God wants us to realize that we do not have the answers for many questions in life.  He wants us to trust Him in all circumstances, as Job and other saints have.  The Prince of Peace knows everything about us, and we can trust in Him who holds the future in His hand.

-Samuel Beachy - Osage City, KS

The Stone Was Rolled Away - Read Mark 15:40-47, 16:1-8

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay." - Matthew 28:6

The three women hurried along, talking in hushed voices.  Who was going to roll the big stone away from the opening of the tomb?  Their combined strength would not even budge the huge stone.  Undaunted and full of faith, they walked on.

No doubt as they neared the garden, the women remembered afresh their trauma and grief from witnessing the death and burial of their beloved Jesus.  Right around the time that the sun sent its first warming rays across the Judean hills, they entered the garden.  The stone was rolled away!

Gasping in astonishment and dismay, they hurried into the hewn-out cave.  There sat a young man clothed in white garments.  "Don't be afraid," he told them kindly.  "Jesus is not here.  He has risen as He said He would.  Go and tell the others."  The women rushed out of the tomb and ran down the road to do as they were told, talking excitedly among themselves.

Jesus is risen!  Does that excite us as it did those women long ago?  Are we telling the good news to those around us?  Think also of the times when we see a huge obstacle looming in our way.  We wonder and worry.  "Who will roll away this stone?"  We forget that we serve a risen Lord.  Surely His power can roll the stone away!

Often when we finally reach the "tomb", we stand amazed.  The stone is gone!  All our worry was in vain.  May the faith and loyalty of these women inspire us to greater faith in Christ and loyalty to Him.

Jacob Stutzman - Salem, MO