What are the most important items for surviving during a siege? Let’s think about what we would want or need if we were stranded somewhere. You pick the place and situation. You might be stuck in your disabled vehicle at night on a back road. Maybe you’re lost. You might be in a country other than your own and got separated from the people you arrived with. You might even be in the middle of a war or natural disaster and have to shelter in place.
OK, now that you have the scene in your mind, what do you have with you that would be useful? Keep in mind that this situation was not part of your plan so you didn’t arrive prepared. What do you need?
Probably most of us would go to our cell phone for help, so let’s start there…assuming you had your cell phone in your pocket when you arrived. That’s a good place to start IF we have cell phone service and the phone’s battery is charged. But there’s a place even better to start. PRAYER! It doesn’t require a service plan nor a battery. God’s service plan is free and His power never runs out.
If you knew you were going to be in a particular situation, what would you make sure you had with you? Here are a few that came to my mind:
- Food and water are a priority for sustenance of life. When you’re at home and it’s within reach, you probably don’t realize how much you munch during the day. When your stomach growls, you just head to the kitchen, or if you’re at work you open your desk drawer or go to the vending machine.
- Identification is a must, especially if you’re in another country, but is also essential in case of accident or injury so that your emergency contact can be notified.
- Pen and paper is an essential for me wherever I go because I need to write down things or I’ll forget them. I also jot down inspirational thoughts that come to me so I can write about them at a later time.
- Charger for my phone and tablet or laptop keep me in touch with friends and family.
Let’s take these items and liken them to our spiritual life. After all, peace is not a material thing that we can go buy at some store down the street. Peace is a gift from God and resides in our spiritual heart where He keeps it and guards it from disturbances from the world.
- Just as food and water are a necessity for physical life, God’s Word and prayer are a necessity in our spiritual lives. We need that guidance and encouragement from the Bible and the fellowship with God to keep us going.
- We are sons and daughters of our great God. We belong to Him and we can identify with Him.
- When we talk with God and read His Word, He writes in our hearts.
- I recharge my spiritual batteries when I read, pray, sing, and worship.
What does this have to do with peace? Focus on the essentials in life and be prepared for the unexpected. There will always be things that take our time and energy but they’re not always the best choice nor necessary. Those are usually the things that rob us of our peace because they take up too much of our time, make us tired, distract us, and cause worry or frustration. Look to God for His perfect peace, not to people and things. Be prepared is not just a Boy Scout motto. It is a spiritual prerequisite to perfect peace. More in the next post…