The Great Umpire
Read it out loud:…and let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as an umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state]…(Colossians 3:15, AMP)
Ponder it prayerfully: God uses different ways to speak to us and one of such ways is through peace. The scripture above defines peace (in this sense) as soul harmony which comes from Christ. Remember what Jesus gave us in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”? This kind of peace cannot be given to us by anyone other than God, it’s the peace that surpasses all understanding, and thus this peace, or a lack thereof can either direct us along the right path, or remove us from the wrong path.
There are times on this journey of life when we come to a crossroads of sorts, not knowing which way to turn, which path to take. I remember a particular instance in my life that required the wisdom of God; I wasn’t sure which path to take concerning a major decision. If ever I needed to hear God’s voice clearly, this was it. I listened, and listened, and listened, and no answer was forthcoming. I realize now that I was expecting God to speak in a certain way, and wasn’t making room for God’s sovereignty in my life. I remember not feeling very settled though, as though the path I was currently on was the wrong one. I had no peace, and the more I thought of remaining on that path, the less peace I had. Finally, I decided to deviate from that path onto another path. A few minutes later, as I was still mulling over my decision, I got a phone call from a friend that confirmed my decision as the right one.
Be a doer (James 1:22): Peace is likened to an umpire in the scripture above and rightly so. The dictionary describes an umpire as one having authority to decide finally a controversy or question between parties. Thus decisions that require Godly wisdom can be confronted with the umpire of peace. In what areas in your life do you need God’s direction? What problem needs to be solved in your life? Could it be that He’s been giving you the answers all along but because you’ve been expecting God to speak in a certain way, you have overlooked it? Pursue and seek peace in every decision you make. Not sure which direction to take? Follow peace – it’s a precious gift and great navigational tool that has been given freely to be used by us. Our spirit and flesh are constantly at war with each other, and the flesh does what it wants to do but God’s peace has the final say so, and enables us walk with confidence along the path God has for us.
Furthermore, when you make a decision based on peace (this kind that surpasses all understanding), it usually will be confirmed by something or someone else. God likes to confirm His word to His children, to assure us on the path He has paved for you and me. It’s a safety net of sorts to keep us from making decisions based on assumptions.
How do I know when God is speaking to me through His peace, you ask? Like I mentioned before, God’s peace is the kind that passes all understanding, thus even when things don’t make sense, when you have God’s peace, you can move forward without understanding. Let the peace of God rule in your heart and mind; let it be your umpire that leads you along the right path for your life. When all’s said and done, follow the peace of God.
Hide it in your heart (Psalm 119:11): Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition, continue to make your wants known to God, and God’s peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7. AMP).
Pray it personally: Father God, I come before Your throne thanking You for all You do and all you will continue to do in my life. Thank You for the peace You’ve given me that will mount garrison over my heart and mind, and will guide keep me along the right plan for my life. I’m facing a major decision right now and You already know what it is, so I thank You for giving me Your peace and wisdom to make the right decision. I love You Lord and I thank You for hearing my requests, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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