Peace With God and the Peace of God
A Fictional Narrative
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
Tim was raised in a family that did not know the Lord. He was in trouble with the law as a teenager, but was now, as an adult, working full-time and had stayed out of trouble since his teen years. However, he was a committed partier and drinker and spent his nights and weekends indulging himself in all the so-called pleasures of this world. If you asked Tim about his life, he would have told you that he was living life to its fullest.
John, on the other hand, had grown up in a Christian home with parents who took their family to church each week. John had given his life to the Lord at an early age and was Baptized with the Holy Spirit at 11 years old. In his teenage years, he struggled with the things of God and the pull of the world, but in the end, he came through with strong faith in the Lord.
Tim and John worked together at the same firm. They both were good at their jobs and advanced in the firm from year to year receiving promotions and raises. Both married their high school sweethearts and they both had children. Everything in life looked great for both of these men. Tim and John, although friendly toward each other, were not close and did not travel in the same circles.
Tim had managed to conceal his drinking problem from his employer to date. However, his marriage was in trouble due to his drinking and his occasional long stretches of partying. John was serving the Lord, and he and his family attended church each week.
If you were to ask Tim about John he might tell you that he thought John a good man but that John was too straight-laced and did not join in the outside-of-work activities that Tim enjoyed so much. He felt John was missing out and thought that he must lead a rather dull life.
One day a processor came to the office and served Tim with divorce papers. Tim seemed stunned by this – he clearly had not seen this coming. Tim comforted himself with what he knew best and that was drinking and partying. His performance at work suffered and the firm considered letting him go.
Tim was beside himself, He didn’t know what to do or where to turn. One day, John came to him and asked him to go to lunch with him. Tim reluctantly agreed. At lunch Tim found himself opening up to John. This surprised him! And John surprised him. John just listened to all Tim told him. Tim was amazed at the kindness that John exhibited and appreciated his noncritical way of responding to all Tim had shared with him. He also sensed a peace that John had that he had never seen in anyone before. The lunch ended with John telling Tim that he was there for him any time he wanted to talk.
Tim could not get his lunch date with John out of his mind. John was so kind, and the peace he felt when he was with John. He remembered how they had talked about his problems all through lunch and how John had quietly listened and when he did respond, it was in kindness. John had said a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing over their meal before they began to discuss Tim’s situation. Tim wondered if the peace he felt had anything to do with that prayer.
In the following weeks, Tim watched John closely and saw how kind he was and how at peace He seemed. Finally, he went to John and asked him about the peace he felt at the lunch the two had shared.
John told him that the peace was the peace of God and that everyone could experience it in their lives every day. This got Tim’s attention and he asked John if he could experience this peace in the bad situation he found himself in. John assured him that he could and shared the Gospel with him. He told Tim of our need to repent of our sins – the way we’ve lived our lives without God. He shared with him the love God has for us sending His Son to die on a cruel Cross so that we might be forgiven and experience peace with God. He also told him that as we walk out our lives with faith in Jesus and what He accomplished at Calvary we would walk in the peace of God. He said our faith in the Cross brings us both peace with God and the peace of God.
Tim took all this in and thought about all that John had shared. He just couldn’t get it out of his mind. However, there was an inner battle going on. Can all of what John shared with him be true? Had he lived his whole life in the wrong way? What about his partying and drinking? He would have to change these things and he didn’t know if he could, or even if he wanted to. The battle in his mind raged, but the love of God that John had told him about eventually caused him to fall to his knees and ask for forgiveness from the Lord. He immediately sensed the peace of God. Tears came to his eyes as he truly realized the love the Lord had for him. He was overwhelmed. He was so thankful for the Lord reaching down in mercy and grace and saving him.
Tim’s problems at home and at work took some time to work out, but the Lord took away the drinking right away. He has absolutely no desire to drink or party as he had before. His wife and family saw the change in Tim and they eventually came to the Lord. His employer saw the change, as well, and although he had to go through a probationary period, he came through it with the Lord’s help and became a rising star in the firm. There were still issues in his life, as there are with all of us until we come to glory, but the Lord is faithful and will see him through as he walks out his life by faith. Tim realizes that his faith placed daily in the finished work of Christ on the Cross, allows the Holy Spirit to work mightily in his life. He realizes just how blessed he is and walks out each day with thanksgiving and praise.
Tim and John are now not only coworkers but have become friends. In fact, their families attend church together and get together frequently outside of work. The Lord had worked the miracle of Salvation and restoration in Tim’s life. Tim now having peace with God walks out each day in the peace of God.
“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ” (Philippians 4:7).
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Here I Am Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023
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