Like a River

There are people out there whose lives could be described as peaceful. 

People who have glass ornaments on their trees -- I'm not one of them.

But God promised to give peace like a river, not peace like a pond.

That works for me. Whitewater rapids come to mind.

Few things look more peaceful than a pond.

Smooth and stationary, with little or no splashing. 

Not much changes. Surface tension comes to mind.

You can know the boundaries of a pond.

Natural or man-made reservoirs, they’re limited in how much they can take. 

Too much and they overflow. Too little and the edges recede. 

A pond may even dry up or go stagnant.

Rivers, on the other hand, are not tame things.

Originating upland, they meander until they flow into other bodies of water. 

Coursing, twisting and turning, going over, under and around obstacles placed in their paths; liquid powerfully eroding those rock solid obstacles until they are smooth, or sand.

Rivers may appear to follow designated paths but more often than not, rivers make the paths.

Peace like a river. 

Peace that doesn't limit itself to what I can handle, manage or contain. 

Peace that doesn't depend on my discipline, or willpower, or obedience. 

Peace that is beyond my understanding because Peace is not something I can practice or concoct. It's not a skill that I can improve. Peace comes from a source. An inexhaustible source. The Prince of Peace. 

I am at peace with God because of Jesus. And I can know the peace of God when my eyes are stuck on Him, because I trust in Him.

So when the ride is wild, I can throw my hands up in surrender to His power and His love. 

I know I can't handle it. But He can. 

And I can rest in peace.