“I am leaving you with a gift—peace
of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So
don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
In
another setting Jesus says, “Don’t
imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but
a sword.” (Matthew 10:34)
Isaiah refers to the
coming Messiah as “the Prince of Peace.”
On the surface,
these statements can seem contradictory. The key to understanding this peace is
in the “the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.” The peace the world gives is the lack of
conflict. The peace of Christ is a quiet confidence within a person. The peace
the world gives is tranquility and lack of movement. The peace of Christ calls
us to action to share his peace with others. The peace the world gives is a
lack of argument or disagreement. The peace of Christ is a sharp sword,
depicted in Revelation as proceeding from the mouth of the Lord. It is His
words coming forth and piercing our souls with the conviction of our
sinfulness. The peace the world gives is temporary.
The peace of Christ
is everlasting. It lives within our minds and our hearts even when the world
around us is in turmoil. The peace the world gives is a peace that must be
fought for and protected. The peace of Christ brings calm within our souls. A
calm peace that we do not have to fight to maintain.
IronMaker’s Daily Challenge: Center
yourself in the peace of Christ this morning. When conflict arises today,
remember that you have Christ’s peace within you and that you do not have to
fight to keep that peace.
Prayer: Lord,
in your mercy, give us your peace that passes all of our understanding.
Bob Peden
No comments:
Post a Comment