1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:14,410 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We are so 2 00:00:14,470 --> 00:00:17,770 Speaker 1: glad to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,810 --> 00:00:22,090 Speaker 1: topic is about protecting your peace. We will return after 4 00:00:22,130 --> 00:00:38,540 Speaker 1: a brief message from our sponsor. Three Reasons Protecting Your 5 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:44,180 Speaker 1: Peace Isn't Selfish is Biblical Written by Leah Gerard Read 6 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:50,310 Speaker 1: by Rochelle Alberti Bible Reading But Jesus often withdrew to 7 00:00:50,350 --> 00:00:57,569 Speaker 1: lonely places and prayed. Luke 5, 16 NIV Protecting my 8 00:00:57,610 --> 00:01:01,330 Speaker 1: peace is a popular saying these days, possibly because in 9 00:01:01,430 --> 00:01:04,930 Speaker 1: a world that's developing at warp speed, peace feels harder 10 00:01:04,970 --> 00:01:09,540 Speaker 1: to find and nearly impossible to guard and honor. Sometimes 11 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:12,580 Speaker 1: I'm protecting my peace is the only way you and 12 00:01:12,660 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: I know how to say, I'm exhausted and I can't 13 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,340 Speaker 1: think straight, or even I need to figure out a 14 00:01:18,380 --> 00:01:23,660 Speaker 1: sleep schedule. But beyond any scattered desires to turn down 15 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: noise or declutter, protecting the gift of peace that Jesus 16 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:32,220 Speaker 1: provides is far more than simple self-care. It's a sacred 17 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,830 Speaker 1: practice that invites you to experience a peace that surpasses understanding. 18 00:01:37,450 --> 00:01:40,430 Speaker 1: And to help you grasp the importance of protecting this peace, 19 00:01:40,970 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: here are three of many reasons Jesus modeled it in 20 00:01:44,180 --> 00:01:50,140 Speaker 1: the Bible. 1. Jesus chose peace to reconnect with God. 21 00:01:51,620 --> 00:01:56,690 Speaker 1: Luke 5.16 says, But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places 22 00:01:56,910 --> 00:02:00,850 Speaker 1: and prayed. This tiny but mighty eight-word bit of scripture 23 00:02:00,950 --> 00:02:06,030 Speaker 1: proves that even God prioritizes peaceful solitude, so you can too. 24 00:02:06,950 --> 00:02:12,510 Speaker 1: Jesus encourages you to remove yourself from crowded, overstimulating, demanding 25 00:02:12,570 --> 00:02:18,220 Speaker 1: places to go somewhere alone. Following Jesus' example, you can 26 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,980 Speaker 1: use this alone time to recenter yourself and reconnect your 27 00:02:22,020 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: heart to God's will. When the only sound is your 28 00:02:25,300 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: prayer or your breath, you may more easily sense His 29 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,940 Speaker 1: supernatural presence. Here, you can ask God to refill your 30 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:37,510 Speaker 1: empty spirit and tend to your weary soul. Protect this 31 00:02:37,570 --> 00:02:40,419 Speaker 1: habit of going to a quiet place to pray because 32 00:02:40,460 --> 00:02:43,780 Speaker 1: it reminds you that you can rely on God to 33 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 1: lift your heavy burdens. 2. Jesus Slept Amid the Storm 34 00:02:51,710 --> 00:02:54,510 Speaker 1: If you wonder whether getting enough sleep is important for 35 00:02:54,530 --> 00:02:58,070 Speaker 1: your faith journey, just look to Jesus' example in the 36 00:02:58,110 --> 00:03:01,490 Speaker 1: book of Mark. In the middle of a furious squall, 37 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:07,669 Speaker 1: while waves careened over their boat, Mark 4.38-40 says, Jesus 38 00:03:07,710 --> 00:03:11,429 Speaker 1: was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples 39 00:03:11,510 --> 00:03:14,340 Speaker 1: woke him and said to him, Teacher, don't you care 40 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: if we drowned? He got up, rebuked the wind, and 41 00:03:18,020 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: said to the waves, Quiet, be still. Then the wind 42 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: died down, and it was completely calm. He said to 43 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,900 Speaker 1: his disciples, Why are you so afraid? Do you still 44 00:03:28,970 --> 00:03:33,399 Speaker 1: have no faith? I love that Jesus lives out what 45 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:37,420 Speaker 1: he teaches. His burning question to disciples who were panicking 46 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: and wondering if God even cares was, Do you still 47 00:03:40,780 --> 00:03:45,060 Speaker 1: have no faith? I like to believe that this is Jesus' 48 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,620 Speaker 1: best living proof of Psalms 4.8, which says, In peace 49 00:03:49,810 --> 00:03:52,810 Speaker 1: I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, 50 00:03:53,230 --> 00:03:57,310 Speaker 1: make me dwell in safety. When you don't allow yourself 51 00:03:57,390 --> 00:04:00,690 Speaker 1: the peace of sleep because you choose to fret, you're 52 00:04:00,710 --> 00:04:07,090 Speaker 1: missing out on an opportunity to exercise your faith. 3. 53 00:04:07,090 --> 00:04:10,420 Speaker 1: Jesus held on to the truth in silence instead of 54 00:04:10,460 --> 00:04:14,820 Speaker 1: being triggered into a fight. In the book of Matthew, 55 00:04:15,180 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: when Jesus is being falsely accused in front of Pilate, 56 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 1: Jesus chooses not to fight back. Matthew 27, 12-14 describes 57 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:28,119 Speaker 1: this scene. When he was accused by the chief priests 58 00:04:28,220 --> 00:04:31,700 Speaker 1: and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, 59 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,020 Speaker 1: Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you? 60 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:39,190 Speaker 1: But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge, 61 00:04:39,620 --> 00:04:43,650 Speaker 1: to the great amazement of the governor. In a violent 62 00:04:43,830 --> 00:04:47,650 Speaker 1: and evil event such as this, Jesus knew his accusers 63 00:04:47,730 --> 00:04:51,190 Speaker 1: had no genuine desire to know the truth. He knew 64 00:04:51,350 --> 00:04:54,580 Speaker 1: launching into any verbal defense would not change their hearts. 65 00:04:55,410 --> 00:04:58,850 Speaker 1: Remaining silent is a bold demonstration of something I always 66 00:04:58,890 --> 00:05:02,350 Speaker 1: like to say to my kids. The truth is your strength. 67 00:05:04,010 --> 00:05:08,070 Speaker 1: Jesus demonstrates that he had no ego to defend, so 68 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: he remains at peace and allows his accusers to expose 69 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 1: their maniacal malice. He refuses to get riled up by 70 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: a trial rigged against him. His silence proves that remaining 71 00:05:19,100 --> 00:05:24,010 Speaker 1: peaceful is courageous protection of inner resolve. So if you 72 00:05:24,100 --> 00:05:28,260 Speaker 1: ever feel your calm getting tossed about by demands, circumstances, 73 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,900 Speaker 1: or lies, know that God is offering you a way out. 74 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: You can choose to protect the peace He gives you. 75 00:05:38,460 --> 00:05:42,500 Speaker 1: Intersecting Faith and Life As you think about ways you 76 00:05:42,540 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: can reconnect with God and reorient your heart toward faith 77 00:05:46,300 --> 00:05:51,170 Speaker 1: instead of fear or anger, consider these questions. What time 78 00:05:51,230 --> 00:05:53,750 Speaker 1: of day or evening can I set aside to be 79 00:05:53,830 --> 00:05:58,510 Speaker 1: alone with God? What fear am I holding tightly that 80 00:05:58,550 --> 00:06:03,650 Speaker 1: I can instead place in God's hands? What healthy boundary 81 00:06:03,710 --> 00:06:07,110 Speaker 1: can I establish for myself so that I can communicate 82 00:06:07,230 --> 00:06:13,690 Speaker 1: clearly rather than simply argue? Further reading Hebrews 13 5 83 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:28,090 Speaker 1: John 2 24-25 Romans 12, 2. Romans 12, 19. Thanks 84 00:06:28,130 --> 00:06:31,010 Speaker 1: for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what you 85 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,250 Speaker 1: heard today, we want to make sure you know about 86 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:37,180 Speaker 1: our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow Your 87 00:06:37,220 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get a 88 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: brand new prayer and devotional each day, so your days 89 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 1: begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to grow 90 00:06:47,540 --> 00:06:50,429 Speaker 1: in prayer, or start your day with your heart focused 91 00:06:50,470 --> 00:06:54,530 Speaker 1: on the right things, search for Your Daily Prayer in 92 00:06:54,550 --> 00:06:57,430 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app, and be sure to follow the 93 00:06:57,470 --> 00:07:00,510 Speaker 1: show so you get a new prayer delivered straight to 94 00:07:00,570 --> 00:07:01,730 Speaker 1: you each morning.