Devotion 4: Letters to My Little Ones
Devotion 4: Letters to My Little Ones
Pastor Ryan Story
A letter to my children:
There is a concept I would like you to have instilled in your heart. There is a Hebrew word, “Shalom.” That is a fancy way to say “peace.” In Isaiah chapter 9, Isaiah uses the phrase “Prince of Peace” to describe Jesus. The root word for peace translates roughly to peace from completeness. Knowing how to be at peace with the completion of Jesus’ work is one of the most amazing types of peace you could ever have. Knowing that in any situation, hardship, adversity, and attack, you can rest assured that Jesus is in control should calm your heart in such a great way. Knowing Jesus brought peace to our relationship with God should calm you during any ordeal.
Do not let yourself live in the area of stress, doubt, or faithlessness. There is nothing of profit there. As I type, I am reminded of a song by Hillsong United called “Prince of Peace.” It is playing on my headphones. One verse of that song strikes me:
When fear comes knocking, there You’ll be my guard
When day breeds trouble, there you’ll hold my heart
Come storm or battle, God I know Your peace will meet me there
No matter what the outcome, know that our God is there for us. He protects us and wants us to know He is there for His children.
Peace is not something that comes from anything we can do. Peace can only come from growing in God. Peace is a Fruit of the Spirit, and apart from the Spirit, you will not grow in it. To have peace, you have to have the Spirit, and to get the Spirit inside of you, you must know the Son, who is the Prince of Peace. Children, I want you to have peace that is true but know that you will never have that if you do not know who Jesus is. Jesus is the only one who brings true completeness to our lives.