Let’s take deeply to heart the words of these tracks that Elizabeth and I read here. They are taken primarily from the prophet Isaiah and the Revelation that brings the New Testament to its climax.

You will be a shelter from the storm

and You still the storm to a whisper

We have come to the assembly (meeting, congregation, church) of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written (registered as citizens; Luke 10:20; Rev. 21:27) in Heaven. We have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. We have come to the spirits of the good (righteous) people who have now been made perfect. (Heb. 12:23, EXB adapted)

The Helper (the Advocate, the Counsellor, Intercessor, Strengthener, Paraclete – the one who stands by) the Holy Spirit, (Ruach HaKodesh) whom the Father will send in my name, teaches us all things and reminds us (brings to mind, brings to our remembrance) everything that Jesus has said to us. (John 14:26)

How gracious the Lord is to remind us of things: both spiritual truths that He has taught us and practical things we are needing to attend to. We depend on the Lord so much for this that perhaps at times we all but fall into the habit of simply expecting Him to drop such reminders into our spirit, and make correspondingly less effort to still our souls to seek Him in a more focused way, so that the reminders come more sharply – many indeed that we would never have thought of had we not made the effort to seek Him.  And this not only concerning the things we need to do, but the approaches to take in attempting to do them.

It is no coincidence that Jesus spoke these precious words in the immediate context of promising to give His peace to them, reminding them of what He had already said at the beginning of chapter 14 of not letting their hearts be troubled, but giving them now the secret key as well as the power to do this.

And this, let us not forget, is at the more remarkable in the light of the incredible turmoil He must have been going through Himself as He contemplated the intense suffering He was about to endure. Buit His concern was for the hearts of His disciples, for already He foresaw how prostrated they would be by grief at what was about to befall Him.

How right the Vatican was to warn a generation back that true peace in God does not consist of sitting cross-legged on the floor reciting peaceful mantras. True shalom is rather, as the Pulpit Bible poignantly puts it, “the result of equilibrated forces, the poise of antagonistic elements, held in check by one another. Of these the most placid lake, hidden in the hills and reflecting the sunshine and shadows, is a remarkable illustration. The peace Christ leaves [sends] is power to hold the wildest fear in pause, to still a clamour or hush a cry – it is the coming of mercy to a sense of sin, of life to the fear of death’ – all of which enabled the hearts of the disciples and ours alike not to be troubled or sore afraid. (John 14:27)

What a constant dialogue it is between the God-seeking soul and the God who loves to be in close touch with His friends on earth, even as He is with countless precious souls already in Heaven who were made righteous by His blood. And how many creative ways He finds to do this, wherever it comes as we learn, as it were, to see and sense His leading out of the corner of our eye, or seeking Him quietly on a walk or in our place of prayer, or whether we are vigorously casting our sharpest cares [all our anxieties, worries, and concerns] on Him, for He cares about us [with deepest affection, and watches over us very carefully]. (1 Pet. 5:7 Amp., adapted)

When we open our curtains or raise our blinds in the morning, the light flows in. We have no difficulty in remembering to do this, and it happens of itself. May it be equally as natural for us to do the spiritual equivalent.

To sing to God, and of God is often to go a long way to overcome the fear that would otherwise hamstring our soul. This is such a powerful and positive, not to say such a beautiful thing to do, and does so much to let the peace of Christ rule again in our hearts. (Col. 3:15)

It is a precious and a powerful thing, too, to wish each other peace – provided only that we then go on to do whatever we can to facilitate and enrich that person’s peace. (See 1 Sam. 1:17; Luke 7:50; Acts 16:36; James 2:16; Eph. 6:23; 1Pet. 5:14; 3 John 1:14.)

We can never afford to forget for very long that there is one who is utterly committed to robbing and depriving our soul of peace. The enemy sends many intense shocks and shakings the way of those who are set to do most damage to his kingdom, the most severe of which he intends to be knock out blows to our health, faith, relationships, or something equally as central to our lives.

For satan suffers much at the hands of those on whom God has conferred (appointed, assigned, bestowed) the Kingdom, and who know how to operate in its power and parameters – albeit that the Lord can find ways to use even these horrible attacks to sift and refine us to be the more worthy of His kingdom.

From all this we can trace two important NT principles. Firstly, that suffering regularly precedes the glory. (Luke 22:29-32 – but see also 1 Pet. 1:11, Heb. 12:2) And secondly that the enemy will do everything He can to make us reverse the commands in Psalm 103:2 to bless the Lord and to forget not His benefits. In other words, to make us slack and reluctant to bless Him, and quick to forget the things that He has said, done and promised us.

Let’s dig deep into these familiar thoughts, and take time to explore and take to heart the verses that I have highlighted here, both the ones I have copied out and perhaps those other ones that I have referred to as well – not least in order to ponder, pray and praise concerning the things that He has promised. As Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said to Mary, Blessed are those who believe that the Lord will fulfil (bring to completion) what He has promised. (Luke 1:45)

Whether we are in need of experiencing the Lord most today as Helper, Advocate, Counsellor, Comforter, Intercessor or Strengthener. and of receiving the power that comes from following the leadings of the Holy Spirit – may this be a delightful day of blessing the Lord, and forgetting not His benefits