Insights
True Peace
So often we quote or hear quoted the words in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” It is a comforting verse, confirming that God is for us. He wants good for us and not evil. There is hope in our future! Unfortunately, we tend to ignore the context in which it was written. The prophet Jeremiah is speaking of the Isrealites who have been carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. His first instruction to them is to settle in. “Build houses, dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.” It’s going to be a while. They are captives in enemy territory but God instructs them to seek peace and live productive lives. (Jeremiah 29: 5-7)
We too live in enemy territory and we too have hope for the future. One day we will experience a new Kingdom where all things will be made right, the Kingdom in which our true citizenship rests. Today we are called to live excellently by seeking peace, growing deep roots and bearing good fruit in the world so often broken around us.
On November 8, 2024, I had the great joy of meeting my first grandchild, Jude Shepherd Slater. As I marveled at all that is currently him, I considered his life to come. My prayer is that he will receive the new heart of Ezekiel 36:26, that he will increase in wisdom, and favor with God and man, Luke 2:52, and that he will be rooted and grounded in love, filled with the fullness of God, Ephesians 3:17 - 19. Through his life, I know that there will be joys and sorrows for both he and his parents. He will experience great victories and moments of defeat. Through it all, I hope that he will know true peace.
True peace is not based on our circumstances. It is based on the excellent promises of our Lord, a Lord whose thoughts toward us are good, whose intentions are to one day usher us into a place of perfection. In the meantime, let us heed the words of Jeremiah 29:28b, “This captivity is long; build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit.” May you fully embrace what is before you today and live peacefully in the place where God has planted you. Let us take root downward and bear fruit upward, living lives of peace and excellence.
Tammy McIlvoy
Head of School
Logos Preparatory Academy
Perfect Peace
How are we doing, our beloved families? How is your peace? Our country elected a new president recently and no matter who you voted for or who got elected, there are hurting and disillusioned people on the losing side. Never has peace mattered more than it does today. The beautiful thing is, as believers, we have access to an unending supply of peace from the Prince of Peace, Jehovah Shalom.
In Israel, when you greet someone you literally say “Peace” to them. You say “Shalom.” If you are asking someone how they are doing you say, “Ma sh'lom'cha” which means “How is your peace?” The response when things are good is “Kol Be’seder” meaning “All is in order” or when you have no peace you say, “Lo’Be’seder” or “Nothing is in order.” What does it take for our world to be in order so that we can have peace reigning in our hearts? It cannot be contingent on our job, our family or even our new president; it must be contingent on our King.
Susanna Wesley was mother to 19 children, including influential Methodist preachers, John and Charles. When Susanna needed a moment for herself to pray and get her peace back she would grab her Bible and cover her head with her apron and pray and the children knew not to bother her as she would be better when she pulled her apron back down to continue the day.
Some of us need a Susanna Wesley moment in our lives right now. We need to stop what we are doing, grab our Bible, throw our proverbial apron over our heads and PRAY!
This world is divided. It feels out of order with so much division. Moms & dads, we need to convey peace and speak peace to our children. A great scripture I pray over my own children is Isaiah 54:13, “And all your children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.”
When you leave someone in Israel, you say, “Shalom, Shalom” and when you say the word twice in a row, it means “perfect peace.” Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace (shalom shalom) whose minds are stayed on You.” We need the perfect, excellent peace of the Lord!
“Now may the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16
Becky Ross
Primary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
