Peace Like a River

"If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:18


Before I was born, my parents spent a lot of time in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. From the time I was 6 weeks old, maybe younger, my parents started taking me to their favorite destination with my siblings and some of my parent's friends. Most of what I remember from my youth are memories from those weekends and summers. We, as a group, would hike MILES to a waterfall or to the top of a mountain, collect blueberries, tube down the river and walk back singing songs and getting lost in the time. At night we always played cards or dominoes and since we always camped directly near the water, there was always a wonderful sound of serenity flowing not too far away.

When God talks about having peace like a river in Isaiah, I can relate. When I read those words recently all the memories from my youth came flooded my mind. Initially, thinking of a river is very relaxing as you think about the water cascading downstream. I can't recall how many times I fell asleep listening to the music God created. I don't know how often since my youth I have wanted to escape to the mountains just to hear the rushing of the rivers again. A river is very calming and serene, yet underneath the beauty and serenity of the white caps lies a bed of rocks. The bigger the white caps and the louder the music, the bigger the rocks usually are.

Following God's wisdom is VERY much like a river. When we just pay attention and listen to His command the outcome is very serene and appealing to not only us, but everyone around us. It's when we actually obey his commands and have that peace that people notice our peace because we not only fill it inwardly, but we express it outwardly as well. What most people usually only see are the calming effects and the beauty of God's work. What they don't see is the work it took to get that peace. The battle within that happened before we obeyed God. The struggle we went through while we waited to make sure it was really His command and not something we just did or didn't want to do. They don't see the rocks beneath the white caps. It's not until they step into the river that they feel the rocks, pain, and discomfort that are underneath the tranquil peaceful river.

Almost always, peace like a river comes with a little discomfort and sometimes pain of growth. While I might feel peace in one particular are right now, there was a time when God told me to do something and I hesitated because I didn't know if it was His plan or mine. When I finally obeyed and did as I was told, I was flooded with peace knowing His plan was being done. It was very uncomfortable for me to step out of doing something I completely enjoyed and loved. That discomfort and slight nervousness was replaced with deeper cravings for the Word, more time with Him and my family, a better understanding, deeper friendships, opened eyes to something I had not noticed before, a stronger trust, and an even bigger smile than before. Peace.

"IF ONLY" It's so simple. If only my son would have listened to me and not yelled at me he would have been able to stay up later. If only my daughter wouldn't have done something she shouldn't have she wouldn't have got in trouble. If only I could keep things as simple as God intends them to be then I wouldn't have the constant struggle for peace. As my relationship deepens and I get in His Word more, it becomes easier to recognize His calling and prompting and the "If onlys" start to disappear from my hourly, daily, weekly walk and peace like a river becomes more abundant.

"If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:18