Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
- John 14:27 (NKJV)
It has been a crazy week; I am happy to see Saturday arrive.
Over the years, Saturday mornings were my favorite time because I could wake up without an alarm, grab a cup of coffee and settle in to just soak in the peace.
Peace can mean different things, it can be quiet in a world of turmoil, it can be freedom from the pain of disease or addiction, it can be a simple touch when we are lonely.
For some, peace is a secluded spot on a sandy beach, listening to the waves crash on the shore.
For others it is deep in the forest where birds can be heard singing and calling.
I am at peace when I feel safe, warm, quiet.
Life can be stressful at times; it can be very overwhelming.
Some people look for peace in their friends or family, or they immerse themselves in their work.
But they don’t find peace there.
With our cell phones, social media, and the constant availability of news, we can quickly lose any peace that we have.
But the kind of peace that Jesus is talking about in this verse is a little different.
In the time that Jesus walked the earth, when you said your goodbyes to people, it was essential that you also wished them peace.
So here we have Jesus, He has just told His disciples that He would be leaving them, so really, He was saying goodbye, yet comforting them.
You see, “peace” of the world kind of means lacking conflict – those quiet secluded places that we run to? We go there because there is no conflict.
The peace that Jesus offers is forgiving and protects us while we are in a world full of conflict.
Jesus tells us that He will give us peace, and with that we have nothing to fear.
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