Lenten Photo Challenge Day 18 - Peace

Can you hear the butterfly in this photograph? It was taken at a very quiet, peaceful scene last summer. It may be quiet here, but is the butterfly really at peace? It spends all its life searching for food and fighting for survival.

Many times I have heard people wish for peace - peace from noisy children, peace in a disruptive classroom, even "world peace" is a common theme in beauty pageants in the movies. But is peace really? Is it simply quiet around us? Is it just a lack of fighting, although the people involved may not really like each other? Is world peace a cessation of war?

One of my favorite songs is "Let There Be Peace on Earth"

Let there be peace on earth 
and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth, 
the peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father, 
brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me. 
Let this be the moment now.
With ev'ry breath I take
let this be my solemn vow:
To take each moment 
and live each moment
in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth 
and let it begin with me.

(While this song is often heard during the Christmas season, it was written by Jill Jackson Miller after a time in her life when she was very depressed and suicidal following the breakup of her marriage. She wrote the words when she realized God's love for her. )

I think this song helps explain what Jesus meant in John 14:27 - 

       "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world give do I give to you. Let not       your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." 

 I have also found peace in experiencing God's love as described in Philippians 4:7 -

       "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus."

This peace from God, which truly does surpass all understanding, is the true peace which people seek. It is ours when we believe that it is ours.