When God Makes His Presence Personal

"The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."

Psalm 29:11

Peace. There is nothing quite like it and much to be desired without it. I still recall vividly a time in my life when the peace of God seemed to envelop me, unlike anything I had ever experienced.

I was only 23 years old and had recently become a widow. On this particular day, I was driving to visit my sister. So many thoughts were racing through my mind. Things like, Am I going to get through this? Should I sell the house? What about going back to school? Will I have enough means to survive? Worrisome thoughts continued to bombard my mind, but at the most significant point of my despair that day, a sudden wave of peace began to wash over me right there on the interstate. No blinding lights, no loud commanding voice of instruction. In fact, there was no sound at all. Just a quiet but prominent entrance into my troubled heart that calmed my fears and rescued me from my chaotic thoughts. I didn't say anything. I just let it happen.

This month marks 36 years since this experience that took me to the crossroads of life at such a young and tender age. However, it remains a vivid memory that taught me about the faithfulness of God's presence, which comes to us in our darkest, most vulnerable, and worrisome life experiences. In such times, God makes His presence personal. He becomes Jehovah Shalom to us, and He blesses us with peace so that we remember it for all times.

He is our peace.

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