“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3: 17b – 18, NIV)
Who has childhood memories of camping? Remember jarts, canoeing, and crafts made out of twigs and leaves found on the trail? How about cooking over an open fire, hearing the sizzle of bacon in the cast iron, and making those ooey gooey s’mores? Who could forget sleeping under a blanket of a bazillion stars? Did you ever chase fireflies and try to capture them, only to release them back into the cool night air? And then there was the campfire sing-along, sometimes loud and boisterous with clapping or hand motions, sometimes quiet and reflective to the quiet strumming of a guitar in the flickering firelight.
One of my favorite campfire songs was “Peace Like a River.” We would sing all three verses – peace like a river, joy like a fountain, love like an ocean – and do the accompanying hand motions for each type of water. That song was definitely a crowd pleaser.
Looking back through the lens of four decades, I have come to realize that at the time I sang those words, I had very little understanding of either their true, deep meaning or their crucial role in my walk with Jesus. I consider the events that have shaped my life and the path I have trekked, and I stand in awe of just how important the gifts of peace, joy, and love have been in that journey.
“Peace like a river.” Even in the midst of situations that smash against us like a mighty ocean wave, we can feel the overwhelming, inexplicable peace of God. Rivers are steady and predictable; they flow in one direction, one path. So it is with the peace of God; it flows from heaven to our hearts in a steady flow, and we can always count on it, cling to it if need be.
“Joy like a fountain.” The community fountain is usually located somewhere near the center of town. It provides a gathering place where folks come to relax, catch up with each other, and be refreshed. Joy is like that. Difficulties notwithstanding, Papa God’s joy is ours. It refreshes us, which in turn surprises those around us who don’t yet know of it, often drawing them to us and, eventually, to Papa. It also refreshes those around us who have experienced and understand this joy.
“Love like an ocean.” How deep is the ocean? How wide? Whether you’re looking at it from the beach or the deck of an ocean liner, it appears endless. It’s hard to comprehend the vastness of it, including all that lies beneath the surface unseen by human eyes until we dive in and explore it. God’s love for us is no different. I love how the hymnist Samuel Francis describes it: “Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus: vast, unmeasured, boundless, free, rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me.” We can explore it, but we will never fully know it until we see Him face to face and “know fully, even as we are fully known.” (I Corinthians 13:12, NIV)
These three gifts – peace, joy, and love — have sustained me through countless dark days, struggles, and tough challenges. It is my prayer that you know them and their power in your life.
PRAYER: Thank You, Papa, for these priceless gifts, which you give so freely and generously. Let us never forget them or take them for granted, for they are the very stepping stones of our lives in You.
~ Cathy Schrock, writer
~ Kathy Weidner, visual artist, masterartnow.com
