Peace: Day 1
In His word, Jesus promises two wonderful gifts to His disciples that are also promised to us. First, He tells us of the Holy Spirit, our Counselor. The Holy Spirit will come and teach us all the things that Jesus Himself taught and remind us of them. Then, Jesus promises the gift of His peace. It is so important to realize that the peace Jesus gives us is different from the peace the world gives. When people in the world talk about peace, they are not talking about a peace we can have in our hearts. They focus on peace in the world, not on the peace we can have in us. We have thankfully never had war on American soil in my lifetime. Yet, there are a huge number of Americans who, if they were honest, would say that they are not at peace. They have so much trouble and fighting in their lives. There is only one kind of real peace- and that is the peace Jesus gives. This peace is not changed by what happens in our lives. Rather, our peace comes from the Holy Spirit living in us. He says to our souls, “Peace, be still. All is well between you and your Creator.” There can be no more real peace than the peace that comes from the presence of God living in us. What an amazing pair of gifts-the Holy Spirit and the peace of God!
Prayer focus: Ask God to bring to your heart the peace that comes from the Holy Spirit living in us. Thank God for sending us “Emmanuel, God with us.”