Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - Peace That Stands the Test - #5260

Friday, March 9, 2007

I was on an airplane flight from Chicago to Newark when suddenly the pilot announced that we were headed for Detroit. Last time I checked my atlas, Detroit was not on the way from Chicago to Newark. But the pilot explained that our plane had developed a problem with the hydraulic system. That can be pretty serious business. In fact, a couple years earlier, a hydraulic failure had caused a deadly crash that had been front-page news. My immediate neighbor was a sweet little grandma who was really anxious, and my next-door neighbor down one, well, he was a big help. He said real loud, "That could be it; the wheels won't go down!" Well, the tension mounted as the flight attendants went through to check our seat belts three times. Most of the plane seemed to hold their collective breath as we wobbled in for a landing - a landing that turned out to be wonderfully uneventful. They towed our plane in, past a welcoming party of fire engines and emergency equipment. No one knows how close a call it really was, but the possibility of a crash really squeezed out the inner emotional contents of the passengers, and it was a good test for me. I tried to lighten up Grandma's anxiety with a little humor in the height of the tension and it seemed to help. And I just kept working on what I had been writing. Frankly, I felt as safe as if I were in my living room. Grandma must have noticed I was really relaxed through it all and I got to tell her why. I'm going to tell you, too.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Peace That Stands the Test."

That grandmother asked why I had been so calm in the face of what might have been a deadly situation. I just said, "Well, it's because of Jesus Christ in my life. The peace doesn't come from what's going on around me, but from Who is going on inside me." That peace is explained in our word for today from the Word of God in John 14:27 . Jesus says, as His friends are facing the most stressful days of their lives, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

What's this "peace the world gives?" It's the sense of wellbeing we have when the surroundings are pleasant, the situation is stable, and our life and security are not in danger. Problem: it's all external and, therefore, losable.

I met a couple that was facing both her lymphatic cancer and his heart bypass surgery at the same time, and they were totally at peace. When I asked them why, they just referred to a promise from Jesus: "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5 ). I thought to myself, "God's peace has faced the monsters of death and suffering, and once again it has stood the test!" That's peace nothing can take from you. It's a peace you may desperately need right now.

The Bible makes it clear that peace is a Person - the Christ who said, "My peace I give you." This is the Savior who forgives all your sin, guarantees you heaven, and promises His all-powerful care. He's the constant no matter what changes. You are so secure when you know your life is not in the hands of a pilot, or a surgeon, or an employer, or a banker, or an enemy. It's in your Savior's hands. If you will make your peace with God, then you will have God's peace.

You find that peace at the cross of Jesus when you bow there and you give yourself to the One who died there for you. If you're ready for the permanence, the peace that only Jesus can give, tell Him right now that you're trusting Him to be your Savior from your sin. And I would love to help you know more about how this relationship actually begins. There's a brief explanation of that at our website. It's yoursforlife.net. I invite you to go there and check it out for yourself. Or maybe you'd like to call for my little booklet called Yours For Life. It's a toll free number. It's 877-741-1200.

Ask anyone who has been to the edge with Christ in his or her heart. His peace stands the test! He's waiting to bring that peace into the storm in your heart.