What do you think about when you hear the word “peace?” Quiet nights? Calm walks along the beach? Slow dinners with a glass of wine? When I think of peace I imagine a place where everyone gets along and no fires are waiting to be put out.
Jesus spoke of a different kind of peace. In the Gospel of John, the first time the word "peace" appears is in the 14th chapter, during Jesus' private time with His disciples just before His arrest and crucifixion. He told them, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). Later that same night, he explained further, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We do not see the word "peace" appear again until after His resurrection when He greets His disciples three times, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21, 26). Picking up from there, every letter the apostle Paul wrote to the churches begins with a greeting of peace. Finally, to emphasize that peace is not just a polite greeting, Paul includes peace in his list of the fruit of the Spirit right behind love and joy (Gal 5:22).
What is this peace which “transcends all understanding” (Phil 4:7) and defies logic? Perhaps you’ve seen it. That person who, in the storm and chaos, in the throes of grief and sadness, possesses an otherworldly calm and steadiness—an irrational peace. How does this happen? Where does this come from?
The clue is in Jesus’ intimate words to His disciples just before their world was turned upside down. He said, "In Me you may have peace." The words echo “abide in Me” and “trust in Me,” spoken earlier in His last words to the disciples. “In” cannot be ignored. It describes the person enveloped by Christ, intimate with Christ, at home in Christ. Only when this kind of depth precedes the storm does peace shine brighter than the storm. It comes from repeated mornings in His presence, heartfelt worship of His majesty, and ongoing trust in His goodness despite the darkness of the present circumstances. This is peace that overcomes, peace that transcends circumstances.
If we try to create a world without trouble, we will fail. Trials, stress, and grief are part of being human. In the gravest of circumstances, Jesus offered His disciples a path through the threatening shadows. The degree to which we embrace life in Him today will determine the brightness of the flame that shines in the darkness tomorrow.
Amen. We could almost call it a formula.
When I think of peace, I think of sitting by the "glassy sea". Thank you for reminding me to do that more often.