Peace in Our Time
Present your requests to God. And the peace of God…will guard your hearts and your minds.
Philippians 4:6–7
A husband arrived home from work and found the washing machine spewing out suds, the refrigerator on the fritz, and crushed cereal nuggets scattered in every room. His three-year-old had the chicken pox, his eight- and ten-year-old boys complained of upset stomachs, and the baby was covered head to toe with melted chocolate chips. In the middle of this disaster scene was his wife, who managed a weary smile and muttered, “Welcome home."
There’s no question that life can be chaotic. Sometimes we’re so busy, tired, and stressed that we feel we don’t have time to pray. Yet these are the days we need to be talking with the Lord most of all. When you pray—for yourselves and others in need—you can’t help feeling a sense of God’s love for you and your family. You’re reminded of His awesome power and how capable He is of handling your situation. You begin to feel the joy, hope, and peace that are always available in the Lord.
The apostle Paul urged that “requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone…that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (>1 Timothy 2:1–2). When a tornado of unexpected circumstances strikes your home, why not gather for a brief time of family prayer? The chaos may not instantly vanish, but we promise that you’ll be able to deal with it better.
Before you say good night…
- Do you feel too busy to pray? If so, how can you change this?
- Are you showing your kids how to turn to God in times of stress?
Almighty God, only You can bring peace and order to our chaotic existence. When the problems of this world seem too overwhelming, gently draw us near so that we may discover anew Your calming touch. Amen.
Illustration adapted from Growing a Spiritually Strong Family by Dennis and Barbara Rainey with Bruce Nygren (Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah Publishers, Inc., 2002).
Listen to today's broadcast of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk at OnePlace.com. For more from Dr. Dobson, visit the resource center at drjamesdobson.org.
This devotional is taken from Night Light for Parents. Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
