Thursday 2^nd May

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 hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The stillness of a spring day is something that cannot be matched. The warm sunlight beaming down on your face, birds gently chirping, creation singing to their maker and flowers elegantly showing off their variety of colours and smells. What can beat that feeling??

The truth is however, that sometimes life is not so rosy! Pressures of life can in one moment send us into a downward spiral of anger, shame, bitterness and resentment. If truth really be told, no matter how beautiful spring can be, emotions can often get the better of us when we allow situations to escalate and spiral out of control. It is in those times that we really need to draw near to God and ask Him to give us His perfect peace.

 Jesus talks of this peace in John 14 verse 27. He encourages His disciples to take heart as He has just talked about His imminent ascension but reminds them that He will return and the Father will send the comforter, the Holy Spirit. Jesus concludes with this famous verse which not only stood as a comfort to the disciples but stands as a reminder for all peoples that where Jesus is, there is peace.

How encouraging that Jesus gives us His peace and that it is not of this world but from Him. Here is my interpretation of this verse.  ‘I give you My peace, not as the world cheaply gives it. That temporary fix of peace that doesn’t satisfy. That peace that only paves over problems and never solves them. That peace that is gone at the first sight of a problem. No! I give you My peace. A free and comforting peace. A peace that is never ending. A peace that doesn’t require you to do but that is already DONE. A peace that is from my resources, from My heart to yours. A peace that says do not be afraid, do not be troubled no matter what you are going through. A peace that passes all human understanding of peace, that right there, in the middle of the storm, right at the heart of walls collapsing around you and mountains shaking beneath you, right there, I will give you stillness, comfort and rest. That is My peace. Why? Because I love YOU!!’

 Let us not allow circumstances to dictate how we feel but let our Christ centered hearts rejoice in His peace in our lives.  Amen!