Peace: Day 5
Famous last words come in all sizes and styles. Some are funny. Some are sad. Some last words make us stop to think. Jesus’ ‘last words’ come to a close in John’s gospel account in a comforting way. Jesus told His disciples that some very sad and troubling things were about to happen to Him and yet they could have peace. With the cross just hours in the future, Jesus gave a promise of peace to the disciples. Consider, though, the peace the disciples did not have in the days that followed these moments with Jesus in the Upper Room. They stayed behind closed doors after seeing their Teacher and dear Friend brutally crucified, even though He had done nothing wrong. This is not a picture of peace as we might dream it up. What Jesus was promising the 11 disciples then and His disciples today was a peace no matter what happens.
Jesus said that His disciples would have trouble in this world. How do we have peace in a world that has, from the looks of it, gone mad? Jesus gives two key ways we can have peace. The first is from what He promised earlier, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17). With the Holy Spirit dwelling (living) in us, we have nothing to be afraid of because we are taught what to do. We are led down life’s path as we listen to His voice. Second, Jesus tells us that He has overcome the world. No matter what happens in this life, or how crazy it gets, we have a Savior who has overcome this world and knowing Him can give us peace no matter what we go through.
Prayer focus: Ask God to give you an inner peace even though there may be trouble in your world. Thank God that in Jesus we have overcome the world.