PEACE, BE STILL

By Angeline M Duran Santiago

Last night, once more, tsunami waves rose high and splashed like iron fists upon my son. Never ending waves of sickness visited as if a party invitation was sent out to come and harass my child. The storm, it came, and it wouldn't go away. 

I prayed.
I wrote about it to get others to pray with me.
I spoke to the Lord.
At one point I though about returning to the hospital, and then,
"PEACE, BE STILL."
In the midst of the noise, my anxious heart, and seeing him the way he was, "PEACE, BE STILL."

Lord, how?
How do I claim this peace?
How do I stand still when this chaos around me consumes everything I love?
I realize that the moment I begin to question and take my eyes off of God's Word, I begin to sink and sink quickly.

You and I, we see these waves rise up against us in different ways, not just sickness and desperation. You and I see the waves rise and feel that we're going to go under and not be able to come up and out, especially someone like me that doesn't know how to swim. But, here I was, looking at the situation, listening to the dilemma, and God had already said, "Peace."
And God had said, "Be still."

So, I decided to get out of the boat in the midst of the storms last night and attempt my try at walking on water, walking on stormy waters, walking upon the very waves that tormented and threatened me and my family. I stepped out in faith and chose to put my eyes, not on my child's situation, or my heart's fears, but to look straight into God's eyes and keep my focus there. For with my eyes on His promises, I cannot fall, I will not sink, I will not experience defeat.

Morning has come and I cannot go to work without saying, "My son is resting in bed and he is so much better!" I won't be sending him off to school to take exams today because I know he's gone through a lot. But, when he goes, I know he will do well because God has completely restored him. Prayer is telling God we're not only believing but choosing to trust Him even when we feel the buffeting and the sting of the crashing waves upon our skin. Prayer is our conversation of faith that says, "My faith is more than wearing a cross around my neck and a T-Shirt that says Jesus saves." Prayer is my conversation with a true, a real and an awesome God that keeps his word.

Peace, Be still.
This is what the Lord says to you also.
You're hurting. You're desperate. Your battle is real and you bare the scars to prove it.
Peace. Grab hold of the Peace God speaks into your life and your circumstances right now.
God speaks Peace into your body, into your mind and into your room.
God speaks peace into your nervous system, your blood stream, your confusion and your depression. God speaks PEACE to your heart, as you wait in the hospital room, pray in your bedroom, pray on the train, in the bus, or in your car.

Lord, we walk forward knowing your peace is our hope and our strength on this day and always.
Thank you Lord. We love you always. Amen.