peace Archives - Train Up The Child

Right now we all need to take God’s peace in the midst of the storm, just like the bird in the picture above. This is the cover of a book called Deep Inner Peace by Jack Hartman. I highly recommend it at this time. Our children need to see us taking God’s peace.

Share the story in Mark 4:37-40 with your children. Act it out in the bath tub with lots of splashing 🙂 Emphasize that Jesus was peaceful and calmed the storm (stop splashing) He asked the disciples why they were afraid. Point out that the Bible tells us 365 times in the Bible to not be afraid – that is one time for each day of the year.

Another book that I think is appropriate right now is Divine Healing by Andrew Murray. God is our healer! And here are some verses concerning healing that should bring us peace. Talk about these with your children and pick out some to memorize with them:

Proverbs 4: 20-22 Keep God’s word in your heart for his words are health to all your flesh.

Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

Proverbs 17:2 A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones.

Psalm 91:9-10 Because you have made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation; There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

Psalm 103:3 God heals all your diseases

Psalm 107:19-20 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Isaiah 33:24 …the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick.

Isaiah 58:8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Exodus 15:26 If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that heals you.

Jeremiah 30:17 I will restore health unto thee and I will heal your wounds.

Keep your thoughts on Jesus and rest peacefully. Memorize Isaiah 26:3 with your children, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Sing songs about peace with your children. Put Bible verses to familiar tunes or make up your own.

For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
Isaiah 41:13

When my third son was 2 years old, he always required my hand to hold on to when we rode in the car and as he went to sleep. He would be peaceful as long as he was holding at least one finger. He trusted me to keep him safe in the car or in the dark.

My son taught me a lesson – I should be so needful of God’s presence in my life as my son was of my presence and touch. I believe God gives us our children to train them in the way they should go, but He also gives us them to train us too. We need to find peace in holding Jesus hand just like our children find peace in holding on to us because they trust us.

Proverbs 3:5 tells us to trust in the Lord and Mark 10:15 says we must trust God as a little child trusts. The word ‘trust’ means ‘careless’. When you hear the word ‘careless’, we normally think about irresponsible behavior. But it also has a positive meaning. It means ‘to care less’.

My husband recently gave an excellent illustration concerning this—

When our kids were little, I would tell them that we were going on vacation. They would get giddy with excitement. Never once did they say, ‘how we going to pay for this?’; ‘where we going to stay?’; ‘is our car road worthy?’; ‘where are we going to eat?’; etc. etc. etc.

You see…our kids were ‘care less’. They didn’t think about any of that because they knew that their daddy was the ‘daddy of the details’. Oh, I was planning all of that. I was busy as a little bee working out all the plans. But not my kids! They were ‘care less’!!

We can live ‘care less’ too. We can’t stop the wars, civil unrest, or the storms, but we have been given the power to have peace within in the midst of this tumultuous world by holding onto Jesus, the Prince of Peace, through it all. But how do we do that? How do we take His peace? Here are some suggestions:

Talk to God about everything. Prayer is a way to stay connected to God. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” 1 Peter 5:7 tells us, “ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Stay in God’s Word. Psalm 119:165 says, “There is lasting peace for those who love God’s teachings.” Search the scriptures and claim God’s promises of peace such as:
Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Ps 85:8 I will listen to what God the LORD says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants. . .
Psalm 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Listen to peaceful music. 1 Samuel 16:23 tells of how David brought a peaceful spirit to King Saul when he played music for him. Zephaniah 3:17 says God rejoices over us with singing– now that is a peaceful thought!!!! – Just think of God singing over you as you sing over your peaceful, sleeping baby.

Let’s make our children aware, that as they hold on to our hand, we are holding on to Jesus hand and trusting our Heavenly Father, the ‘Daddy of the details’. Then they will grow to trust God as they have trusted us. We can pray with them, read and memorize the Word together, and fill our homes with peaceful music. We and our children together can have “God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, and it will keep our hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

One of my favorite children’s songs about peace from when my children were young:

Peace in the Storm

Peace is Holding Jesus’ Hand