That’s right. Here in the Sunshine State there is a Peace River. As a youngster, our family camped and canoed. The second-most beautiful river in FL is the Peace, in my opinion. First is the Juniper, which flows from the springs of the same name in the nearby Ocala National Forest. Quiet, serene, navigable twists and turns with the occasional rapids. No speedboats. 

This week in the church year we move from the Magi at Jesus’ cradle to the River Jordan, where our Lord and countless others received the baptism of repentance (not that Jesus needed it). Our spirits are filled with The Spirit when we come to the waters of the river. One of my favorite anthems our choir at Joy does was just sung a couple of Sundays ago. It is an old spiritual, “Come To the Water”. The dynamics – soft, medium loud, medium soft, big and full – make it so moving for the soul. The poetic words of Scripture, notably in the Psalms, sing of the justice that flows like streams (last Sunday’s Psalmody).

We can trust in the river of life. When we obsess and over-focus, we are not gently paddling down the Peace. We’re immersed in worldly concerns, divisiveness, and cumber. Camping and canoeing were escapism; no doubt about that. But we need to get away, to come to the waters. The river, the water of God’s unconditional love, we are fully aware. Fear is released with each stroke. Whether you canoe, kayak, enjoy the glass-bottom boat ride at Silver Springs, or drift in an inner tube, I encourage you to experience the peace and serenity of knowing Creator God’s power and unfathomable richness, as well as Abba Father’s ensuring grace.

Pastor Art