Peace!

Peace!

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 NLT

It was a question by the other Judas that led to today's extract. The question was simple: why do you show yourself to us alone, and not to the world in general? Here were men who had been chosen out of a crowd of people to be Jesus' disciples; they had come in and gone out with Him on numerous occasions; been sent out alone to preach the gospel and had come to learn more about God just by watching Jesus teach and work. First lesson: whatever Jesus teaches is first for all who choose to submit to Him. He does not force a man to obey; it has to flow out of a heart that knows and submits to God. It doesn't matter what the past or present looks like; as long as I am willing to submit, God can teach and show me new things.

Jesus was leaving the earth physically, and the disciples were a bit sad. I am sure they would have been wondering who would take the place of Jesus in their lives. Cue in today's extract: there is something I am and have that I will give you, and that is my peace. What's this peace: Jesus was careful to explain what it was and what it was not. Second lesson: It is a gift, which means I have the power to accept or reject it. It is tied to the One who offers it, so I cannot take the gift and reject the giver. It won't work. It is a gift that impacts my inner man first and then flows out to impact the outer. Tell me, of what use is external comfort and inner turmoil? How do I enjoy all that I have when there is no peace? 

And as I live in this present world, the message in today's extract becomes even more important: the world too also has gifts. A study of the world's systems makes it clear that if I submit to the world, there are gifts it can give me. But it is also clear that whatever the world offers isn't like what Jesus offers. The world has nothing to give you free of charge;  there is always a price to pay. Actually, even for the peace Jesus offers, there is a price to pay and it is total surrender. The world will take mostly everything away from you in order to give you its own gifts. God will ask you to surrender all that is in your hands so He can give you something better and more lasting. When you have encountered both, you have no doubt as to which one is better. 

A warning though: being around Jesus must not be taken for granted. Third lesson: Being called his name must make me careful, diligent and watchful. Men like the other Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus, walked with Him; was sent out to preach like others were; saw miracles, maybe even performed some himself, yet, at the end, his greed led him down the path to suicide. God offers peace, but I must take hold of it with both hands, so that the devil cannot entice me with 'attractive' options. When what you hold on to leaves your heart troubled and afraid, maybe you have not yet laid hold of that which is of eternal value. 

If what you have cannot guarantee you peace, then maybe you have not yet found the peace that Jesus refers to here. He wants to give the peace that settles the heart and mind. He wants to take me on a journey of a personal experience of His power and grace. I just have to surrender totally to Him. He won't force it but eternity calls. I don't have forever down here to make up my mind; it has to be done whilst I still have time. What do you have at the moment; what are you holding tightly to: the peace God offers, or the peace the world promises but cannot deliver? His time of favour is here.