The Peace Compass

John 14:23 -- "Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him'."

With eyes closed and feet propped up in my favorite chair a smile comes to my face as the uplifting lyrics from Owl City's If My Heart Was A House play through my headphones. I love Owl City. Admittedly, some of their songs don't make a lick of sense, but this one resonates for some reason and I hit the repeat button before the song comes to an end.

Not really considered a Christian musician, there are often moments when I hear the love of God in the lilting, soothing voice of Adam Young. Whether it was meant to or not - this song manages to make me think of my Father and Savior.  I picture a heart shaped compass with a bright red needle pointing toward the cross where Jesus layed his life down for my sins. Now, I know that the words don't actually describe this - but since my heart IS indeed a house for my Lord - the image comes to mind clearly.

As Adam sings; "circle me and the needle moves gracefully, if my heart was a compass, you'd be North" and "wherever you go, if my heart was a house you'd be home" - it's pretty easy to understand why. My truest and purest love is my Lord, Jesus Christ. In fact, as for me and my house, we serve the Lord with our heart-houses.

You've heard me blog about the passion my son has for hearts in need. Quite often broken and hurting hearts seek him out in search of help. In search of PEACE. The one thing each of these hurting hearts has in common when they leave our house is a phrase that my son relates to me when we get a moment alone. He says to me; "mom, so-in-so said that this is the best home he/she has ever stayed in".

My son then goes on to tell me that so-in-so loved the harmony, the joy, the PEACE in our home. It warms my heart to hear him say this because it means we are letting THE light shine. I share this with you NOT to toot my own horn ... but to toot GOD's. It's not OUR harmony, joy, or peace that so-in-so sees while here. In fact, this Dalton Gang has seen it's share of turmoil, heartache, and struggle. The thing is, we have Jesus. Actually, we have NOTHING without him. That explains why chaotic, hurting hearts find their compass bearing in this direction. Because JESUS is True North.

image: nick94.deviantart.com

A friend of mine, Sherrie Holland, shared with me on Face Book an inspirational quote that she has on her wall - "Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of the Almighty God." How very true that is! And as her words painted a vivid picture of our current world where the colors are dark with pain, red with war, green with envy, and white hot with rage - she pointed out that within that color cacophony the fine shading that truly defines us is our link to Jesus Christ. There is hope because where we love God, He makes a home with us. Our heart-houses are filled with the light and love that only our Savior can provide and it's totally up to us to throw open the window shades and let that light shine out into the dark.

I'm thankful that no matter in which country I reside or through what chaotic happenstance my life takes me, my heart is a house wherein lives true Light and real Hope. The needle that is we - that is me - points ever toward the One True North that is Jesus Christ and it is there where we find that ever elusive peace. All we have to do is follow the needle.