Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1318 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Creating Peace – Ask Gramps
Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1318 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey Gramps, life seems so busy and hectic. I don’t seem to have any time of peace from the time I get up, until I fall exhausted in my bed at night. I would like to learn how to have peace, even in the middle of chaos. What wise tips do you have to help?”
Creating Peace
Come with me in your mind and picture yourself sitting on the fishing deck of a nearby lake immersing yourself in the peaceful and serene setting. A light breeze stirs the surface to quiet ripples as the sun creeps over the horizon. Flags on the docks of the lake-dwellers indicate an early start to the winds that will follow. An egret glides smoothly across a small inlet to fish in the shallow water. What could be more peaceful?
As you sit there in the quiet of the early morning, somewhere in the distance, there is the sound of what is to come. A motor ignites with a healthy roar and the day is on. Shortly, the lake will be filled with the noise of boats — ski boats, fishing boats, and those angry little hornets called Sea-doos, the motorcycles of the waterways. This rhythm is the daily cycle, the transformation from peace to chaos and back again.
This rhythm of a day on the lake will help you to realize that life is not so different. Few of us can hold on to those peaceful moments very long without interruption. Most of us must have the promise of the return of peace.
For some, however, a time of peace never seems to appear. Their lives are stressful from daybreak to dark — and often stressful through the night. Those long stretches without peace are difficult times! Most of us have experienced them for periods, but no one can withstand them forever.
Is there hope for you and others stuck in the long stretches of life without peace? Days grow into weeks and then months…Without realizing it your life has very little peace for what seems to be years on end. Stop for a moment and realize that as with all choices and decisions that we make in life, the amount and level of peace, is, at least somewhat, dependent on you.
You have to get to the point where you create your own peace. For me, my time of peace starts at 4:45 am each morning. My time of peace must be before the world wakes up. Before, I am constantly bombarded with messages, emails, calls, and other work-related demands. This early morning peacetime is a time of quiet devotion and exercise time. A time to communion with God alone.
Perhaps we should learn a lesson here. To seek quiet in a time of noise can be perplexing and nearly impossible. When you chose to follow the natural cycle of time and place, you will find your peace and it will be enjoyable. If you look for the quiet on the lake in the middle of the day, then you will be disappointed. In the same manner, if I attempted to find peace during the day in the middle of business, all I would have is frustration. I would have neither peace nor productivity. Quiet comes in quiet times and quiet places. Don’t try to force life against the grain or you will constantly be irritated!
Now, does this mean “go with the flow” and not pursue the times of peace? Our choices will eventually lead to choices of sin and righteousness. Choosing the wrong never brings peace! I am referring to the natural flow of life, busy-ness, and noise. You must consciously also choose times of peace. When it comes to inner peace, there is no true peace without God. All the adjustments to the times and places will not compensate for the stress of an undirected life.
Let me drive a point home. Peace is not impossible. You can even have peace in the middle of chaos, when it is the peace of God. Jesus Christ promised us this peace in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” God
can be our peace even in the middle of life’s busy-ness and noise.
In regard to your question, God is always the answer — He can be our peace in the middle of life’s busy-ness and noise. You may choose to sit on the dock in the early morning to find the quiet of the lake. I find my early morning devotional and exercise time to be my lake. David, the shepherd king, knew the true source of real peace and quiet he wrote in Psalm 23:2-3.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Many are searching for the quiet waters in a world of raging storms; we all need the constant restoration of our souls. May you find this grace in your quiet place and the restoration of your soul!
That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us again next Friday for another question on our Ask Gramps’ episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday, where we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of the past 1317 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
- Live Abundantly (Fully)
- Love Unconditionally
- Listen Intentionally
- Learn Continuously
- Lend to others Generously
- Lead with Integrity
- Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you on Monday!
Young Deacon Jones was ushering one Sunday morning when he noticed an elderly woman walking towards the front door of Crossroads Country Church. The front steps of the church were quite steep and long, so Deacon Jones rushed out to help the older lady. He greeted her warmly and asked her name as he assisted up the stairs. She responded a bit curtly, just call me Maggie, but she said little else.
Taken back a bit, Deacon Jones replied, “well, no.”
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1316 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
In our western cultures, and actually throughout the world, we have become so accustomed to having most of our desires fulfilled instantly. Most of us use a lot of “instant” things. Instant messaging. Instant coffee. Instant rice. Instant access. Instant results, instant meals at drive-throughs. You get my drift, right? I suppose I am as bad as many people and worse than many about the desire for quick outcomes. Although, as I age, I am learning to be a bit more patient with others and all of life.
Both individual Christians and whole communities of believers seem to fall prey to the temptation. We try to get God’s results in our lives by preying on the fears of others, causing a sense of impatience. We cater to someone’s insecurities and felt needs.
So be patient with yourself and others. Be skeptical of quick fixes, pat answers, and shortcuts but be open to struggle and questions. Don’t get fixated on programs for your spiritual growth, but focus instead on caring about others and helping them. Right where you are today is where God wants to start to build you into a person who will reflect his nature. He won’t rush you. Be patient with yourself.
If you would like to listen to any of the past 1312 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
The time of Jesus wasn’t the first time in the Bible that God appeared on earth as a man. There are several places in the Old Testament where God comes in human form —even to the point of embodiment. In fact, these appearances became reference points for New Testament writers to talk about Jesus.
The word translated “angel” in the Old Testament means “messenger,” and so the “angel of the Lord” is a divine being sent to do a particular task. The key thing to notice in Exodus 23 is that this particular angel has the representation of God in him. Other passages make it clear that this is another way to refer to God himself. For example, the angel with God’s name in him was assigned by God to lead the Israelites to the promised land. Judges 2:1-3 tells us that the angel accomplishes that task. But in Deuteronomy 4:37-38, we read that God took Israel out of Egypt and defeated her enemies to conquer the land through God’s “presence.” In other words, God’s presence was in the angel. Interestingly enough, in the New Testament, Jude 5 shows Jesus delivering the Israelites from Egypt and defeating their enemies! The phrase “The angel of the Lord” appears nearly 80 times in the Bible. Most of these occurrences were in bodily form, the pre-incarnate Christ.
Many Bible students are fascinated by archaeology. There’s a certain mystique about recovering something hidden from human eyes for thousands of years. Archaeological discoveries can tell us a lot about the past. Artifacts can tell us something about how people lived. Texts can tell us what they thought or saw. Because archaeology provides these windows into the past, it’s important for understanding the Bible.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1310 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
God loves us with a faithful love that is not based on our daily decisions and choices that we make. His love for us never waivers or ends. This is described by the prophet Jeremiah in one of the Biblical books that he authored. 
Jeremiah’s body ached. His heart was sick. His faith was small and getting even smaller… but then it dawned on him that he was sinking into despair quickly, so he shifted his gaze as is written in 
We need to follow the same pattern as Jeremiah. When we are down, depressed, in pain, and agony, we need to alter our thoughts. We need to shift our attention. Just like Jeremiah, we need to turn our eyes away from this stormy world and look into the wonders of God. We can easily do this by reading or memorizing the promises that I read in Lamentations 3:22-24. To help you remember them, you can list them on the five fingers of your hand.
If you would like to listen to any of the past 1308 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.