You’ve probably heard the saying ”running around like a chicken with its head cut off”. For those of you who may not be familiar with this old adage, when a chicken’s head is cut off, it takes several minutes for the body to get the message. It’s a strange sight, the chicken continues to run around the barnyard and it looks as if he’s trying to figure out what in the world is going on.

Have you ever felt like the proverbial chicken? Has there ever been a time when your schedule was so hectic and full of demands that you didn’t know which way to go or what to do first? I recently had a headless chicken week. There were several major things going on, all of them seemed to be priorities, each one had an impossible deadline. I fretted and dreaded, moaned and groaned, lost sleep and lost my appetite (ok, so it wasn’t all bad). Finally, on the morning of the “day of reckoning”, I came face to face with the reality that what was required was humanly impossible to accomplish. I just wanted to run away from it all, to crawl under the covers and live there. Instead, finally – thankfully, I ran to God’s word. What I found there was amazing!

Isaiah 48:17-18 says, Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea”.

This is a powerful scripture on so many levels. We see Jesus reveal Himself as a personal God. He tells us that He is our Redeemer, our LORD, our God, our teacher, our leader. The words that follow however are the ones that really hit home for me on this particular day. “Then (if you had listened to my commandments) your peace would have been like a river”. My mind fixated on those four words “peace like a river.” I wanted to consume them, to grasp their full meaning, because if there was one thing I needed right then, it was peace.
Try to envision if you will the life of a river. Look beneath it’s surface. The rivers course is greatly influenced by what lies on the bed. Along the river’s path are many obstacles, rocks, tree roots, valleys, and caves. As it moves steadily toward the sea, it will often change courses. At times the waters are calm, at other times rough and choppy; but the river keeps right on flowing.

There may be times when you need to change your course – don’t worry, Jesus will show you the way. You will face obstacles, things you don’t understand – don’t fear, He will teach you. Many times your path will be rocky – The Lord will guide you at every turn. In those times when your destination seems uncertain – hear His voice and He will lead you. Now that’s peace!

P. S. As always, Jesus was faithful. The circumstances didn’t change, the details, deadlines, and demands still had to be met. But as I received and believed Jesus’ word, as I obeyed Him and trusted Him, He changed me. As He promised, peace like a river flooded my mind and spirit. The deadlines were met and the Lord profited me with success. All to the glory of Jesus Christ.

Is there some situation in your life for which you need peace? Whatever the need Jesus is waiting to give you the peace you desire if you will only trust Him enough to give Him the worry of your heart.

“Jesus, this burden is too great. I am crippled from the weight of worry about………………… Help me Jesus to have faith in You, to let go of this worry, to obey You when You say “ trust Me”. Teach me Lord how to bring this worry to the hill of Calvary, lay it down at the foot of the cross, turn and walk away and leave the worry behind”. Amen