Recipes for Peace
Written By: Ashley Davis
March 6, 2022
Have you ever tested different recipes, say for something like chocolate chip cookies? Yummy – pass the plate, please! Think about some different versions you’ve tried. Maybe you’re the soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie lover. Maybe you’re a fan of the crunchy, crispy variety. Maybe you’re in the camp of the fluffy cake-like consistently. No matter the ingredients you use, if you follow the same basic recipe with the required ingredients, you get a similar result: chocolate chip cookies.
I think most of us want peace even more than cookies. Does that count as a valid transition into turning this devotion to the spiritual? Ha! Nonetheless, it’s the truth! Peace can be so elusive, right? One moment we feel it. We’re walking in the chill, calm feelings we associate with peace and then – BAM! It’s gone. Kids are screaming, bosses are demanding accomplished tasks, we’re rear-ending the car in front of us, we’re forgetting our grocery pick up order, we’re late and we’re wearing two different shoes! Need I list more peace-busting examples? We can all relate there.
What if there was a clear, direct way to keep ahold of that peace? I’ve got good news! There is. Notice though, I didn’t question if there was an “easy” way to obtain and keep peace. Growing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is no easy task, but it is still incredibly important and valuable! The Bible gives us a recipe – actually, more than one - for peace. Before we check out the needed ingredients and steps, let’s consider a semi-obscure, peace-filled Biblical figure.
Jochebed was the mother of Aaron, Miriam, and Moses. She was the brave woman that gave birth to a little boy during a baby-boy-genocide, who put that same baby in a basket on the Nile, and then became his (paid!!) wet-nurse, all the while knowing she would have to surrender him back to Pharoah’s house when he weaned (Exodus 2:1-10). Now, Scripture doesn’t explicitly indicate that Jochebed did all these things with peace in her heart, but I can’t help but wonder if any mother could do these things without truly feeling like it was God’s plan and surrendering to his will and subsequent peace. Consider Jochebed’s courage and surrender to Jehovah. By the sounds of her life story, she made every effort to follow his will. After all, she raised a nation’s deliverer, their first priest, and a leading worshiper. Three kids from the same family don’t just “turn out” on accident.
God asked Jochebed to do one wild, brave task after another. How can we follow this bold example of willingness to continually follow God where he calls us? By surrendering to God’s plan, trusting His indisputable goodness, and walking in his peace. So, back to those peace recipes.
Romans 8:5-6 (ESV)
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” –
According to these verses, we must set our minds on the Spirit, truly walk in the Spirit, to experience life and peace. That recipe may be harder than others. It may require more ingredients like time in God’s Word, time following the leading of the Holy Spirit, time purging our hearts of fleshly desires. Yet, the Word gives us a clear formula for life and peace: set your mind on the Spirit.
“You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
– Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV)
These verses in Isaiah give a little different recipe for the same end result of peace. What’s the key here? Trusting God and keeping our mind focused on him. We can find peace in an “everlasting rock.” God does not change!
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me [Paul] —practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)
Lastly, Paul encourages the Philippian church to use his recipe for peace. His recipe has by far the most interesting and diverse ingredients. He calls the church to think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. We tend to get excited by verse 8 and forget the promise that verse 9 holds: the peace of God will be with you. When we think on these things and practice our faith, we get peace! That’s a sweet deal for us.
We’re seeing from these verses that though the recipes for peace all differ slightly, they do have at least one thing in common: obtaining and maintaining peace starts in the mind. Imagine Jochebed crafting a little baby-boat for her three-month-old son. Do you think her heart raged with fear and concern for the life of her baby? Remember, she doesn’t get the whole picture. She doesn’t know that her little one’s baby-sized boat will bump into the compassionate heart of Pharoah’s daughter. All Jochebed could do is set her mind on God, trust God, and surrender to His will. In the end, her great willingness saved a nation. What a testimony of peace.
I hope today you’ll choose at least one of these sets of verses to meditate upon and consider how you can more freely surrender your life to Christ and the abundant peace he has for you!
