Do you need peace?
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
Lord Jesus,
Thank you for this profound promise
for troubled hearts:
You leave us peace, your peace.
In the Bible, peace refers to something way better
than a day without car trouble or credit trouble.
Your peace is “shalom,”
a state of flourishing,
wholeness,
and harmony.
When our hearts are troubled—
aching because of good hopes dashed again and again and again,
miserable because we have harmed one we love through our sin,
agonized because we have suffered yet another setback in our recovery,
you give us your peace, your rest, your hope, your wholeness.
It is not the peace the world gives,
it is the peace of the cross,
for you spoke these words
just before you suffered and died on a cross for us.
It is the peace of restoration,
for you died on that cross
so that we who believe might be restored
as children of the Father.
It is the peace of the wholeness
we will one day know
in heart and mind and body and soul
when you come again
to bring the new heavens and the new earth.
Because of your peace,
we have every reason
to obey your command:
“Let not your hearts be troubled;
neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).
In your peace-bringing name. Amen.
Read John 14:1-30.
