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
Do you have a special place to go when you are seeking tranquility? For some, it may be sitting in the sand on an empty stretch of beach listening to the rhythm of the waves as they come ashore. Others might find tranquility in the mountains, stretched out on a blanket under the pines, hearing the whistle of the breeze in the needles of the evergreens or the occasional call of a songbird. Perhaps yours is just sitting by the window on a snowy day with a warm cup of tea in your hands. In each instance, the peace you find is temporary and superficial. It does not descend into the depths of your troubled soul.
Jesus has bequeathed to you a different kind of peace—His own peace! It is a true peace, as opposed to the false promises of peace that the world occasionally offers. Missionary and Bible translator Jim Walton was working among one of the people groups in the jungle of Colombia. He was having difficulty translating the word “peace.” About the same time, Fernando, the chief of the village, had been promised a 20-minute plane ride to a location that would have taken three days of walking to get there. Because of a communication mix-up, the plane came and went without Fernando aboard, making him furious. In his ire, the chief said, “I don’t have one heart.” Diving deeper into his comment, Walton found that having one heart meant, “There is nothing between you and the other person.” God had used the village chief to provide the definition he needed for peace.
Are you at one heart with God? If you have received His salvation and there is nothing between your soul and the Savior, then you have received the gift of Christ’s peace. His peace is eternal. His peace dwells in the depths of your soul. In Colossians 3:15, the Apostle Paul says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” You can choose to accept God’s deep tranquility into your life. Paul concludes that same verse, “And be thankful!” The peace you have been given is true, lasting peace. Thankfully open your heart to the Lord’s peace today.
Today’s Verse: 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 them be afraid.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Colossians 3:12-17
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
