NACR Daily Meditation for Monday, Aug 30, 2004

30 Aug 2004 07:00:01 -0000

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NACR Daily Meditation for Monday, Aug 30, 2004

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And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:20

Sometimes it feels like our hearts are breaking. 

And sometimes we worry that we will lose our minds. 

Both our hearts and our minds need protection.

When we let go of the defenses that have protected us for so long, and we
allow ourselves to be honest and vulnerable, it sometimes feels like we
will 'come apart'. In these moments can find courage in God's promise of
protection. God's peace can guard our breaking hearts and our troubled minds.

Notice that God's guardianship of our heart and mind is 'in Christ Jesus'.
It is in Jesus that we see most clearly that God is 'for' us. God can be
trusted to guard us because God cares about us. It is in Jesus that we see
most clearly that God understands the dangers to our hearts and minds. God
can be trusted to guard us because God knows from personal experience the
dangers we face. It is in Jesus that we see most clearly God's power. God
can be trusted to guard our hearts and minds because God has the resources
to do what needs to be done.

The peace of God is not a 'blissed out' euphoria that helps us minimize
or ignore our problems. God's peace does not participate in denial. This
peace is not another Novocain, another 'fix' to alter our mood. It is the
gentle guard that protects us so that we can face reality. It is the security
that comes from knowing that God pays attention, that we are not forgotten,
that God is with us, that we are loved. 

Guard my breaking heart today, Lord.
Guard my troubled mind.
Let your peace do its work in me, Lord.
because I am in danger and I need your protection.
Guard me with your peace today.
Guard my heart and mind.
Amen.

Copyright 1991 Dale and Juanita Ryan 

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