So what is it? Peace.
Well, it is two things. There is the peace which the world knows and understands - the absence of conflict, the sense of wellbeing, the notion of rest. And then it is something else which is unlike all of the above.
John 14;27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you—If John 14:25, 26 sounded like a note of preparation for drawing the discourse to a close, this would sound like a farewell. But oh, how different from ordinary adieus! It is a parting word, but of richest import, the customary "peace" of a parting friend sublimed and transfigured. As "the Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6) He brought it into flesh, carried it about in His Own Person ("My peace") died to make it ours, left it as the heritage of His disciples upon earth, implants and maintains it by His Spirit in their hearts. Many a legacy is "left" that is never "given" to the legatee, many a gift destined that never reaches its proper object. But Christ is the Executor of His own Testament; the peace He "leaves" He "gives"; Thus all is secure. (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)
In my life this peace has been evident since the first moment I became a Christian. For me it is the hallmark of the presence of God in my life. It is an absence of fear, worry and fretting. A deep assurance that God is with me and is totally trustworthy. I can completely depend on Him to meet my needs, guide me in His way and protect me from harm. It is not something which I have gained through intellectual efforts or by doing anything at all on my own merits. It is the gift of God . I have written about depression in previous posts and elsewhere - but even in the depths of depression there was always an underlying bedrock of truth that God was present and active. I hated the process He was taking me through, but I knew that He was in control of that process and that even though I didnt understand what He was doing or why, that He could still be trusted. The Peace of God gets hold of you and refuses to let go of you even when you have let go of it. Its God's covenant with us and unless we actively choose to break that covenant and cut ourselves away from the love of God then nothing can separate us...... nothing.So when Keith came and said he was resigning from his job a couple of months ago I didnt feel so much as a ripple across the surface of my peace. And even now when the money is fast running out and Christmas is on the horizon my peace is still undisturbed. I have absolute assurance that God will look after us and meet all our needs. He always has done. Always. Now I do know that He might take us up to the line and over it. He might test us to see just how far we really do trust Him - Im prepared for things to get tough. But if they do I wont be in a panic about it. I will be waiting and watching to see what He will do.
There have been times in my christian life when I have felt the peace go. And that is a truly horrible feeling. Its almost like being hit by a virus or something. Like a physical turmoil hitting home. But those are times when I was heading down the wrong road. Making a poor choice. Missing the signposts. The remedy is simple. Change course. Get back to the place where that peace is evident once more. ' This is the way, walk in it' - peace restored Phew! The world would say that resigning from a well paid job a month before Christmas with no job to go to is a mad enterprise . But Keith felt it was the right thing to do and the peace I experienced when he told me that he believed it was what he should do ' ruled in my heart' - overruled the thoughts about money and future prospects etc etc etc. Our Jesus is the Prince of Peace. One of His last acts on earth was to leave us His peace. What an amazing and precious gift. Thank you Lord!
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