“I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid.” (Lev. 26:6)
Expanded Passage: Leviticus 26:6-8
One of my favorite poems is titled “The Peace of Wild Things” by Kentucky-born writer and farmer, Wendell Berry. The poem begins with Berry awakened at night afraid, full of anxiety about the future of the world and his children. When the weight feels crushing, he goes out into the night and lays down by the pond where the birds drink and swim and nest. And as if in exhale, Berry concludes “For a time / I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”
This pastoral image reminds me of the poetry of Psalm 23: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul” (2–3). Wendell Berry, the psalmist, and God’s promise in Leviticus all echo our human hope for a shepherding God that graciously tends to our worried and anxious hearts. We cling to the promise that we can let go, lay down, and rest knowing that God holds all things together. Even as the pressures and fears of this world close in, God’s strong arm will provide a place of rest as we trust him. In relinquishing our fear and the illusion of control, we find deep peace and freedom.
Take a walk outside today and notice the peace around you. God is here in the “grace of the world” offering you peace.
Look for the “grace of the world” and experience God’s peace.
Michaela Moore enjoys country road runs, coffee with friends, beautiful books, and long, laugh-filled walks with her husband and co-pastor, Jackson. She has an MA in ministry and spiritual formation from Wesley Seminary (IN).
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
