I read a book once that has impacted me for years. In the book, the author detailed a vision he had received whereby Jesus invited him to go on a canoe ride with Him. Of course he wanted to go, so he sat in the canoe and all was peaceful for a time as Jesus rowed and they glided along. The banks of the river were serene, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. But then in the distance this man saw a city, and all around it was dark and stormy. As they got closer, he noticed there was much evil in the city, like backstabbing, murder, danger, deceit, anger, strife and all kinds of ugliness.
When he realized he was in the midst of all the dark things he’d seen in the city, he cried out to Jesus, “Where are You?”
Very faintly he heard Jesus said, “I’m in the canoe.” So the man ran toward the voice. Breathless, he jumped back in and asked, “What happened, Jesus? Why was I in the city?”
Jesus responded, “You took your eyes off me and onto the things you were seeing in the city. This put you right in the midst of all the evil that was there, and you lost My peace. I could no longer protect you from what was there because you entangled yourself in it all.”
**********
I realize the subject in my pictures are female, but this is to demonstrate that each one of us takes our eyes off Jesus now and then. When we find ourselves in fear or any kind of darkness, we must go back to Him for His peace to surround us once again.
I am so grateful that Jesus is indeed the Peace Giver! No matter what comes my way, He is always there to guide me through and into His peace.