My Window Washer

My kids like to wash my windows.

I know. Pinch me. It’s glorious. And, no, I don’t rent them out.

One time, when my son (4) was washing the window he spent a good 5 minutes trying to get one spot clean.

Now you have to understand that in 4 year old time, 5 minutes is like… 3,018 YEARS.

He was determined to clean that one spot, but he was going about it all wrong. You see, he was cleaning the wrong side of the window.

The spot was on the inside. He was on the outside.

Did I Draw The Short Straw?

When I saw the writing assignments for the HelloMornings Bible Study posts, I thought, “Well, I drew the short straw!” (I’m so spiritual, I know… Pray for me.)

But really? I was assigned to write about the greeting and salutation of the book of 1 Peter. The greeting and salutation?

All I could think about was that “salutation” was one of the words that the spider spelled in Charlotte’s Web.

Clearly, you may need to prepare yourself for the depth of my Biblical commentary.

Getting To The Good Stuff

But, of course, in the end I was amazed as how much truth was contained in something so simple. In fact, the part that struck me the most was merely one line of text in the first verse.

“To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces…” 1 Peter 1:1

It’s like jumbo shrimp or stay-at-home mom – an oxymoron.

God’s elect? ….exiles…scattered…?

That doesn’t sound very “elect” to me, or at least not something I want to be elected to.

But then I remembered that the American Dream and God’s Dream are two very different things. He doesn’t want us to find our peace and security in our Norman Rockwell, white picket fence, instagram worthy, suburban homes.

He wants us to make our home in Him. He wants us to be unshakably secure, regardless of our situation, in His companionship and provision.

He wants us to surrender our pursuit of plastic pearls for His real ones.

Verse 13 goes on to say, “Peace to all of you who are in Christ.”

Where Peace Is Found

So wait…peace isn’t found in my perfectly organized home? Or in finally getting on top of the bills? Or in knowing exactly how to respond to my children? Or that “one thing” finally changing?

No.

In fact, our physical pursuit of peace and joy are the very things that keep us from it. Like trying to wash the wrong side of a dirty window.

Peace is never found in a place, but in a Person.*

Today, my prayer for you is that you would take time to know God and all the richness He has for you. To read His word, spend time in prayer as you walk through your day and and listen for His still small voice.

I pray that you’d spend more time on the right side of the window instead of just looking through it wishing for things to be different.

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance…” 1 Peter 1:2

Were you reading along with us this week? What nugget did you glean? Click here to join the discussion.

*I’m pretty sure I heard/read Ann Voskamp say something like that so I’m just going to credit her for that lovely piece of alliteration.

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