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Lately, God has been bringing me a new message. Not that he’s no longer telling me to step out of the boat, but now I’m getting messages of peace. I think that he wants me to step out of the boat and not be filled with fear, but be filled with peace. That’s been hard for me to swallow since I allow fear to fill me. I let the lies sink into my brain and sometimes into my soul.

As I let this thought sink in, I came across this verse in The Message version. It’s from Psalm 9. “God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.” When I saw this verse, of course I thought about what’s happening right now in our country. The virus, the election, the riots, the hatred, the unrest. This verse spoke to me of peace. I interpreted it this way because of the line “The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.” To me that meant peace and security. I know how I feel at the end of the day when I get home. I throw my lunchbox on the counter and my schoolbag on the floor. I hit the sofa flat on my back with my feet across the armrest so that I can relax. Yes, my teaching days have been a constant struggle. I feel battered. My job that I have loved has become a burden. I don’t even know how I make it some days. Getting home and throwing off the day's issues has become my new norm.

Imagine what it will be like when we arrive in heaven to His “safe-house” and we can relax. If I think my own home is a place of peace and I can relax, think how much more God’s safe house is! And have I ever been sorry that I knocked on God’s door and he rescued me? Never. Not once. My knocking has been the best thing to ever happen to me. He continues to rescue me.

Let me give you an example of what I am talking about. The other night, I was having a nightmare. I don’t remember exactly what it was about, but I do remember there was lots of blood in the dream. I was not awake, but I remember calling to Jesus. Erase this from me and let me be filled with your peace. He did exactly what I asked of him.

He came and got me. I could see it so clearly in my mind. Even now reflecting back upon it, I can see the green of the grass and the way it swayed in the gentle breeze that was blowing. Jesus took me on a walk with him. I don’t know where we were. Maybe heaven, maybe somewhere in the Holy Land? None of that mattered. What mattered was the peace that I felt being in His presence. He took my hand and walked beside me on a dirt path. We were on top of a hill. On both sides of the path was the green grass. As we walked we looked down on a small white walled city. It was beautiful. It was so white that it almost glowed. We could see the rooftops of the houses and buildings within the safety of the walls. I don’t remember talking or Jesus talking. I just remember He was with me. He let me into His “safe-house” because I was battered. The nightmare was battering me and He saw more for me. He took me into this sanctuary and walked with me. Relaxation was the first thing that claimed me. I remember that feeling well. Jesus loved me enough to come and give me peace.

You know what the biggest pecan of the story is? It was the night of my fiftieth birthday. This was the night that Jesus, Prince of Peace came and got me and took me for a walk. He walked me through green pastures. On the day that I was dreading because another decade had come and gone, Jesus wanted me to be filled with His peace. How beautiful is that? The picture for today is the verse that I sleep under every night. Psalm 4:8 “I will lie down and sleep in peace for You alone, oh Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Cover yourself with the blanket of his love and lie down tonight and sleep in His sweet peace!