| Isaiah 26:35 – “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” |
My dad grew up in northern Minnesota and loved fishing on several of the 10,000 lakes. Many of our family vacations when I was young were trips to visit my grandparents and then spending time ‘drowning a few worms’ as my mother would call it. We also made a few fishing trips into Canada, and I loved the wild scenery and remote locations. I enjoyed fishing with my dad and have many precious memories of our time together.
Dad’s favorite way to fish was using a trolling motor and we would chug our way slowly across the lake, each of us with a pole and shiny lure temping the fish to bite. I would close my eyes and feel the warm sun on my body and the gently rocking of the boat. I could hear the water lapping against the sides and an occasional songbird or frog. Once I had nearly drifted off to sleep when my line was jerked hard by a nice-sized fish, and I almost lost hold of my pole! I was happy and content that day – fully at peace. After a while, however, it got rather windy, and the water was very choppy. But I had faith in my dad that we would make it safely back to shore, and we did.
God wants to give us his peace, whether our situation is calm and beautiful or if the water is a bit choppy and the ride is stressful. Peace is easy on the pretty days, but when the winds blow and navigation is more difficult, we can rest in his peace then, too, because of our faith.
Prayer: Dear God, help me to rest in the peace you provide to me through faith in you. Whether it is smooth sailing, or I am caught in a storm, I know I can trust in you to deliver me safely home. Thank you for your love. Amen.
– Betty Gossell
