“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27 NLT
My father, now dead, fought through the whole of the Second Word War. Invading North Africa in 1939, he ended the war in Berlin and was demobbed in 1946. He was a man who greatly prized peace. No longer under orders to go where he was sent, each day was his own without the duress of conflict. For him, peace meant long days digging his garden and allotment and enjoying the fruit of his labour.
When Jesus offers us peace, he is speaking of the normal Christian life. Enjoying such peace lies beyond the reach of many of us most of the time. We cling on for a holiday with the false assumption a break from the daily pressured routine will at least recharge our batteries. Sadly, while we might gain some benefit, it’s often short-lived. We don’t require a break from regular life; we are created to know God within the very core of life, whatever life offers us.
There are real battles here. Was Jesus seeking to give some simple reassurance before he went to be with his Father? Much like a spouse or parent seeks to bring reassurance before a testing life experience? Yet, their words, although sincerely and kindly meant, can’t change circumstances.
Or is this the truth? That there is a place of tranquillity and calm in all life’s circumstances? This is what I yearn for and have found much more than I had expected. It demands focus on my part. Prayer and resilience in identifying what creates disturbance within that turns my gaze from Jesus onto myself. It demands courage to name my greatest fears to myself, to God and to others whom I trust. It’s a peace beyond rational understanding I seek.
QUESTION
Do you live your days resting in God’s grace at a pace you are comfortable with?
PRAYER
Lord, give peace to the anxious, rest for the weary and calm for those beset by worry.