Peace I leave with you; MY peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither them be afraid. John 14:27(ESV).
Have you ever said to yourself or to someone, “I just need peace…”? When we look around us today or just go on social media, do we see, hear, feel or experience peace?
No wonder Jesus made the statement above soon before His death as He knew His physical absence would be unsettling for disciples. He very much understood the troubles of the world could cloud the views of His followers.
Flying on a cloudy day is an interesting experience. As long as we are on the ground, the day is grey, sometimes dark and uninspiring. As soon as we hit the appropriate altitude, we witness something stunningly beautiful. The sun is present, bright and shining, and it is inspiring and reviving. In reality, the sun has always been there. As Christians, our experience of/with peace is sometimes similar.
Which clouds hinder your view of the sun? What issues prevent you from fully receiving the peace that Jesus left with us? His peace He gave us?
No wonder Apostle Paul described the peace of God as one that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). No wonder he stressed that the activation of that peace is through prayer and supplications with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6).
No wonder Jesus explained that the way He gives peace is not the way the world gives it. In fact, since the source is not the same (Jesus’ peace vs the world’s) and the way of giving is not the same (Jesus’ way vs the world’s way), the resulting peace and its related product(s) cannot be the same.
No wonder Jesus said this right after promising that the Helper, the Holy Spirit, will teach us all things and bring all He has promised to us to our remembrance.
No wonder Jesus followed His promise for peace with a command “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither them be afraid.”
No wonder THE PEACE OF GOD IS FOUND IN JESUS.
As we live in this troubled world, what or who is our source of peace? Have we been searching for our peace in worldly solutions or in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior?
Prayer: Dear God, we thank you for loving us despite our shortcomings. We pray that You open the eyes of our hearts to fully and continuously experience Your presence and receive Your peace and joy. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
