John 14:27
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.
Jesus, the Son of God, is omniscient, knowing the end from the beginning. So, when He spoke this word about peace, He already knew He was a few days away from an excruciating death. Even in such a dire moment, His thought was for His disciples. He recognised that His disciples needed His peace to face the tumultuous events of this world.
A heart at peace is a hallmark of a mature disciple of God. But this supernatural peace doesn’t come automatically. It is the result of the Spirit’s deep work in our lives. We recline on His Word with an audacious trust in the goodness of our Lord. It requires a surrendered, obedient, and faith-filled disposition of heart.
This peace that passes all understanding is a divine gift and not of this world. A confident assurance that all things will work together for good, come what may (Romans 8:28). Hence, it helps us not to fear the present or the future by guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
Don’t we all desire to have a heart at peace like this? How blessed to wake up every morning rested in Christ, knowing that He has already gone before us! What a peace within to handle the affairs of our day with confidence that He is walking with us! How liberating to lie down at night, trusting that He will bring fruitfulness to the work of our hands! And how comforting indeed to face death with the assurance that the grave has no victory over us!
Meanwhile, the world strives, negotiates, and fights for its version of flickering peace. But through Christ we have the lasting peace of God as a gift, a peace that the world cannot take away. Praise the Lord!
