More on peace

December 23, 2021 (Thursday)

 

Have you heard someone say “I hope you find peace?” Let me start by saying this is a myth. Peace comes from only one source. Jesus said, “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 them be afraid.” [John 14:27 ESV] Do you see it?

 

Peace is something Jesus gives. Not just any peace, It’s Jesus’ peace. Satan, the enemy of your soul, is a counterfeiter. Unable to create or generate anything original, the Devil can only pervert, poison, and pollute. He and the world system under his influence cannot produce peace.

 

Notice that peace belongs to God. Paul understood, “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:7 NLT] God’s peace is something beyond our understanding. The good news is we do not have to understand it.

 

God’s peace is a gift. It’s something God wants to give. Just as God the Father gave us Jesus (God the son) to save us from our sins, He gives us peace. This peace guards our hearts and minds. That’s why Jesus could say, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

 

How do we wrap our minds around something beyond our understanding? What is peace? One idea of “peace” is tranquility. While it may be accurate that we can have a calm way about us, it does not mean an absence of turbulence. In fact, that is the test.

 

Are we at peace with the world is on fire? Absolutely yes! That’s Jesus’ point. His peace exceeds the circumstances we face in life. Take, for instance, the time when Jesus was exhausted and needed a break. He told His disciples to cross the Galilee (a very dangerous lake at night).

 

We read the details, “Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped. ³⁸ But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow.” [Mark 4:37 – 38a CEB] Picture this: hurricane type winds, big waves, small boat, and water filling the boat. The panicked disciples wake Jesus: “They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” [Mark 4:38b CEB]

 

Notice, the disciples did not say “we are going to drown” they said “we are drowning.” A lot of our anxiety comes from imagined things. It’s called worry. We imagine we are going to drown. This situation was one step beyond imagining the worst. It was not worry. The boat was sinking, they were drowning, and they were terrified.

 

Then we read, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” [Mark 4:39 ESV] Jesus not only commanded the winds and the water, Jesus commanded the emotional turmoil! The command “be still” is directed at the storm. The command “peace” is directed at those in absolute terror of the reality.

 

Jesus continued, “Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?” [Mark 4:40 CEB] Peace is not the absence of a storm. Peace is the product of your faith in Jesus despite the storm.

 

Hey, if you want to live in fear of the possibilities, real and imagined, go right ahead. I’m just telling you there’s another option. Check back tomorrow when I will have four easy steps to peace in any situation. (Joke)