Look Not Around

O my soul, look not around
   at waves and winds and storms and din;
   the chasm wide—so yawning wide—
   would sink your soul therein.
You cannot ignore such dreadful news,
   the clamor of the day, the tumult all at play:
   the ruckus screams with agitation,
   blares its noise with fell frustration,
   to sweep your calm and peace away.

Yet look not to the waves that roar,
   the wind that howls and rains that pour;
look not to earth for peace of heart,
   nor to your self for strength to chart
        your way to peace and calm and more.

You look around; your soul will sink
   like adamant through water to its grave;
Look instead to Him and think—
   recall His mercy and love will save
        you from your sins and bring you up to Him.

O my soul, consider Christ in fond affection:
   His mercies and His love, His faithfulness thereof,
   His redemption which spanned that yawning chasm wide,
   that kept you far from Him and His blessings therein.
Look to Jesus who bids you rise and conquer in His name:
   This Jesus who is risen and now in heaven given
   a Name above all other names,
   who with glory and holy beauty acclaimed,
   who is our Path, our Goal, our Aim,
   Directs and holds our hands and names us Forgiven—
      He is your Peace, your Comfort, your sure Defense.
O my soul, in His Love let your life be hidden
   till His Peace and Calm sweep all your cares away.

- D. Benning

In the Anxious Moments

In the anxious moments of confusion,
   midst the hectic panic and delusion,
   as the hope sinks low behind occlusion,
lean upon His arm.

In the trial of fiery furnace,
   as the lessons come with added sternness,
   as the angst of life concerns us,
lean upon His arm.

In the quiet of the long night,
   filled with coldness as the Klondike
   and a terror comes with strong fright,
lean upon His arm.

There He holds His children closely,
   though the world will vex you grossly,
   though the doubt hangs round morosely—
but none can touch you there.

Lean upon His arms of healing,
   know His peace and love revealing;
   at His Throne of mercy kneeling,
upheld by His almighty arm.

- D. Benning

A Sonnet of the Woods

Of sunset ev'nings in a quiet wood:
The gentle whisp'rings of that quiet place
Is filled with peace for all who there seek good
And quietness of heart from Love's embrace.
The dark'ning canopiéd tree tops tall
Stretch forth their boughs as if to catch the sun;
While far off music from a waterfall
Enjoins itself to deep'ning night as one.
Upon the canvas of the fluid sky,
An Artist paints the changing hues of eve,
Which caught upon the stream intensify
And upward bent with clouds a vestment weave.
Then with parting glance and silent tear,
The earth now slumbers in a sunless sphere.

- D. Benning   (Spring, 1978)

Technically, this is a sunrise overlooking Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe.

Nightfall

The sun is slipping silently
   Off the Western edge of night,
Gentle breezes stir the cool, dark grasses,
   And crickets chirp in dimming light.
  
      The sky in majesty of hues
         Shows its changing colors to the earth,
      And stars in uncharted courses
         Whisper of another day—rebirth.

The weariness of this day's hassles
   Fades against the thought so great:
That God would send His Son to die—
   For me!  My punishment to take!
  
      So gently close my eyes, Dear Lord,
         That my cares in sleep are washed away;
      When Darkness comes around me deep,
         Bring me the hope of another day.

- D. Benning

God's Perfect Peace

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ... Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ... And the God of peace will be with you.

In this passage we are introduced to the Peace of God as well as to the God of Peace. And this is amazing! – a miracle. For if there is peace now, there must have been war. You see, peace only comes after a war is over and a victory is declared.

Let’s look at this Peace of God in the past, in the present and in the future:

In the past—there was war.

We were God’s enemies.

Our sin was a declaration of war against God. We rebelled and did not obey Him. In fact, we didn’t like anything He likes. We all like sheep went astray.

So how can this be fixed? How could we be made at peace with God? How can all this hate and war be smoothed over and put aside?

It didn’t start with us.

No, it started with God. Jesus, who is our Peace, destroyed the wall of hostility.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He came to love us and Jesus the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, came to be punished in our place. This is why cane now have Peace.

In the present—we are promised peace

Notice that it says: “the peace of God” and then it also says “the God of peace will be with you.”

—O blessed thought, O happy and great comfort! God with us, not to condemn us, not to harm us, but to help us and to give us peace! Elsewhere it is written that “we have peace with God.” This is a certainty. This is settled. If we are truly His children and if we truly love Him and make Him our Lord, we have peace!

But we also have a job to do in the present:

We are told not to be anxious

but to pray and to give thanks.

We are also told to think about whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, lovely and excellent, whatever is praiseworthy.

And what is more noble than God’s love for us?

Who is more excellent than Jesus?

Who is more pure, more lovely, more worthy of praise than Jesus Christ?

You see, we are to fill our minds with Christ

Then we have peace, sweet peace, blessed peace of God.

Then we are given a promise for the future:

A promise for the future—

This peace of God will guard our hearts and our minds.

He will protect us with His peace.

His peace will not suddenly go away.

No! The God of Peace Himself is here with us.

God will not change His mind

God cannot be moved

Therefore I know that His Peace will and will continue to guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.

And I know that His Peace will guard your hearts and minds

if you have trusted Him

if Jesus is your Lord and Savior

Think on these things and His Peace will be with you; and the God of Peace Himself will be with you.

"The LORD bless you
and keep you;

the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."