The Picture of Peace

It's two weeks into the new year! Already? ... Yes, time flies!
Anyway, despite the many resolutions, conclusions, aspirations, and expectations for this awesome year, things might not be going as smoothly you thought they would. When a storm is in sight, wishing on a thousand stars won't still the storm. What you need is some real peace!

Speaking of which, I was inspired to paint a picture of peace.
As usual, my paintbrush is a pen, and my paint, some choice words from my imaginative vocabulary. ;-)
The result? ... Voila!

The Picture of Peace
Copyright ©Ifueko Ogbomo 2009

A picture of peace ... A picture of peace ...
How would it look, this picture of peace?
Stillness. Serenity. Quietness. Tranquillity.
Blue skies. Green Meadows. A soft breeze. A bright rainbow.
No yelling parents. No crying babies.
A Day-off - no labour. A leisurely drive - no traffic.
All debts paid. All needs met. All going good.
Ahh, 'tis the picture of peace, is it not?
I think not; ‘tis simply a picture of ease.

I looked far and wide, searched high and low
That a picture of peace I might see and know
And just when I thought I had no choice but to quit
There I saw it, in the pages of the Holy Writ
Ah, I stood back and stared in awe
As at last, the picture of peace I saw:

A raging storm. Boisterous winds.
Menacing waves crashing. A boat tossing and turning.
Uproar! Chaos! Cabin and crew madly rushing about.
They're shaking with trepidation.
Lips mumbling, stumbling over fear-filled prayers.
Minds frazzled, dazzled with images of a watery grave.
They're screaming in terror:
‘Abandon ship!’ ‘Women and children first!’ ‘Every man for himself, and God for us all!’
All perturbed. All disturbed. All save one.

See him: curled up in a corner, as though oblivious of the surrounding danger.
All worries forgotten. All cares forsaken.
See him: curled up in a corner, on a pillow he lies, fast asleep!
Assured that He who never sleeps, watches over him.
See him, the Prince of Peace; see thus, the true picture of peace
'tis not the calm before the storm, nay.
'tis the calm within the storm!

(My inspiration came from the scriptural story recorded in three out of four of the gospels, although Mark's account is my favorite. See Mark 4: 35 - 41.)

In Conclusion:
Life's challenging - that's a given. When you are blessed with a vivid imagination like mine, it's easy to get anxious over unpleasant unforseen circumstances and undesirable unexpected happenings. However, if you can keep the wanderings of your mind focused on God, focused on His abilities and not your inabilities, His strength and not your weakness, His omniscience and not your limited knowledge, and if you can trust Him, then that picture of peace, will be a picture of YOU.

How do I know that? Simple. it says so in Isaiah 26 verse 3:
"You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You"
If it's in the word of God, then it's inspired by God, who cannot lie, and that's good enough for me! Selah!

- - -
Lady I. - Positively Peaceful