Peace

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                                                                                                 Wednesday, October 5, 2016

I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.  Psalm 3:5^(NLT)

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God.   Mark 11:22^(NLT)

They called him Brother Thad.  Reverend Thad Entzminger was the pastor who had served the church in Greenville, Florida before I arrived there in 1996.  He had come there at age 65 after his doctor warned him his heart would not survive the busy life of a pastor in South Florida.  He only lasted thirty years, until age 95, being busy, and building up lives in Florida’s panhandle. 

You don’t follow a pastor of that stature without hearing some of the stories.  One in particular was about how Brother Thad did his visiting in that old Buick, a car bigger than most Army tanks.  The huge front bench seat was always covered with morning newspaper, Bible, coffee cup and sermon notes. 

On the 20 mile drive to Madison (which he often made in 14 minutes) to visit those in the hospital, he would read, work on his sermon, drink coffee, smoke cigarettes and occasionally look at the road.  Legend had it that the State Troopers never gave him a ticket, they just radioed ahead to make sure the roads were clear of innocent bystanders!

Brother Thad’s favorite hymn (according to the grapevine) was Have Faith in God.  I would imagine you’d have to have great faith to drive like his reputation claimed! 

I’m certain the Psalmist didn’t own a Buick, but he had great faith, knowing that even in the most vulnerable position of sound-asleep the LORD was watching over him. 

In fact, the Psalmist was David, and this was written during the time his rebellious son Absalom was pursuing his father to kill him and steal his throne.  David was on the run, hiding in caves, watching his back and navigating treachery and treason around every corner.  Yet he could sleep like a baby…that’s trusting God!

And that is the point of what we see in the life of a warrior like David, enjoying perfect peace despite the evil plans and plots of enemies; David’s trust in God was the key to the door of peace.

We live in such a time as David lived, uncertain of what the day holds.  But, as with David and Brother Thad, we can have faith in God, and watch our trust fling-open the doorway to reveal peace that passes understanding.

B.B. McKinney wrote Rev. Thad’s favorite verse:

Have faith in God though all else fail about you;
Have faith in God, He provides for His own.
He cannot fail though all kingdoms shall perish;
He rules, He reigns, upon His throne.

For You Today

Got some tough stuff to handle today?

Got questions about tomorrow?

“Have Faith in God” is a good way to start any day.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

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NOTES

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[i] Title Images: By _sikander (Kitten), via Wikimedia Commons