ZPCBlog

About the author: Cindy Argentine joined ZPC in 2005. At that time, she and her husband, Mark, had three young children. Now, twenty years later, those children live in Boulder, Boston, and St. Louis—and Cindy and Mark love to visit them. Cindy currently works as a piano teacher and children’s book author. She and Mark enjoy leading a ZPC Home Group and serving on ZPC’s Worship Arts Team.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15

To produce a full, resonant tone when playing the piano, it’s important to let the weight of your arms drop into the keys. To teach this, I ask students to take their hands off the keys and place one wrist inside an elastic loop that I’m holding (it’s actually a thin athletic headband). Then I ask them to “let go” of their arm, with the goal of letting it sink into the band, stretching it. Ninety-nine percent of the time, students let their wrist touch the bottom of the band, then stop, not actually relaxing their arm. Even if I say “relax,” they usually don’t. So, we exchange roles. I put my arm inside the loop and ask them to hold up my arm using it. “Are you ready?” I ask. Then, when I relax my arm and it drops, they laugh, surprised by how much my limp arm weighs. We trade roles again, and after a few tries, students start to become aware of when they are holding up their arm by their own power versus simply letting go.

What does this have to do with Colossians 3:15?

This verse, read quickly, seems sweet and simple—Be at peace! But as I contemplated the specific words, they grew richer and more complex, like fine chocolate, revealing different attributes slowly. One word in particular kept coming to my mind—“rule.” Why not “Let the peace of Christ” dwell or reside or take root? Why “rule?"

“Rule” is strong. It implies conflict that requires leadership. And if I look honestly within my heart, I can see many things competing to rule. Worry. Fear. Pride. Demands of jobs, families, health. Desires for comfort, success, control. I know that none of these are good rulers. But am I unconsciously letting them rule? Have I forgotten to let go, forging ahead with my own strength simply because I’m so used to it?

A good ruler brings order, fairness, and stability to those he or she oversees. Allowing Christ and his peace to rule can do the same for our hearts. But it takes practice to let go. Often, it takes deliberate effort. In the same way that piano students have to consciously think about relaxing their arm muscles, we need to consciously think about letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. In both cases, once you get the feeling of it, it’s wonderfully freeing. But even after we’ve experienced it, we may have to be reminded from time to time.

Relaxing their arms allows students to play better and produce a richer tone. When we as believers learn to trust Jesus with our hearts, we are more able to love others; to notice needs, joys, and beauty around us; and to place the demands and desires in our lives in better perspective. When we let go, we can do what we were trying to do on our own better.

Christ is the Prince of Peace. Place him on the throne. Seek first his kingdom, and the things which he knows we need will be added. Let his peace rule.

Activity

“And be thankful.” This short command at the end of Col. 3:15 is closely connected to the first command. You’ve probably heard before that it’s hard to worry when you are giving thanks. Focusing on the good gifts God has given to us requires us to turn our attention away from unmet demands and desires. It’s a doable first step in the lifelong process of letting the peace of Christ rule.

This recent article from the American Brain Foundation lists 10 benefits of gratitude: Does Gratitude Rewire Your Brain? - American Brain Foundation. It says, “Even if our understanding of the neurobiological processes at work are recent developments, the benefits of daily focus on thankfulness have been recognized for millennia, and meditating on gratitude is a core part of many religious and spiritual traditions.” Today, consider journaling about what you’re thankful for, or send a thank-you note or email to someone who comes to mind as you pray.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
We come in humility, asking for you to guide us to become people who are sincerely grateful, at peace within ourselves and with one another. We contemplate many blessings—

• your life, your love, and your words to us
• our brothers and sisters in Christ here at ZPC and around the globe
• warmth and light in our homes and our church buildings
• the soaring music and stark beauty that accompany this season.

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.” [Ps. 123:1]

You are “the image of the invisible God.” [Col. 1:15]

In you, “all things hold together.” [Col. 1:17]

Fill our hearts with your peace.

Amen.

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