"The peace of God...will guard your hearts" - Philippians 4:7

This verse was written by Paul to the church in Philippi.  He was in prison as he wrote it and they had sent him a gift.  They were precious to him - beloved brothers - and he wanted to encourage them in their Christian living.  Unfortunately there were women in this church who seemed to be at odds with each other and it was causing disunity in the church.  That can happen!(#?%)  Paul used the military term of "mounting guard" to encourage these believers toward this peace that only God can produce.  Roy Laurin says:

                                         "...the peace of God is like God's sentry
                                         which mounts guard and patrols the gates
                                          of the mind and the outposts of the heart."

Is there peace in your mind or lots of anxious maneuverings going on?  How about your heart?  Is peace the reigning emotion there?  Anxiety is the opposite of peace.  Can you think of a single positive accomplisment of anxiety?  This verse gives me the assurance that His peace is much more desirable than my worrying about every little thing.

I recently read a devotional by Cathy Jodeit about her 5 year old grandson and his first soccer game.  The coach gave all the little players a chance at being the goalie - the guard who protected his team's net.  She used it as an illustration of how we must be "on guard" in our own lives.  We have to learn what to let in and what to keep out.  We have to learn to block the kicks that come to our heart.  The enemy wants to catch us "off guard" so he can score and get us off game.  When we get distracted or off-balance, he invades and destroys.  Jodeit says:

                                           "...if we let God be our guard, then our game will
                                           be played with integrity and honesty, and warfare
                                           will be in the hands of a mighty warrior."

So how do we get this peace?  Our own efforts to produce peace are futile.  Peace is a fruit (product) of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and His work in us.  Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ can that Holy Spirit indwell us.   It is through that relationship that we can know and love God.  The Captain of our team is the Lord Jesus.  Why would we want to be on any other team?

For further study:  Psalm 91:11, Psalm 141:3, Proverbs 4:13,23, Proverbs 21:23, Isaiah 52:12, John 14:6, 27, John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Timothy 6:20, 2 Timothy 1:14.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,
Holly