Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you.
John 14:27
There are different kinds of peace that we can enjoy in this world. There is the peaceful calm at the sunrise, sometimes its like the world is waiting in silence for God’s next great adventure. Then there is a peace that comes when it appears by natural circumstances that we are in a place of provision and safety. There is also a peace that comes after a fruitful day of hard work, gratification that your labor will be well rewarded. All of these things are natural and subject to change without notice. The peaceful sunrise can give way to a catastrophic storm. Our peaceful circumstances can be blown away in an instant by a barrage of bad news. Our labor can be swallowed by famine or thievery; in all of these cases our peace is more of a facade than a place of refuge. Today’s verse describes a different kind of peace, the peace of God Himself that has nothing to do with our circumstances. Watchman Nee describes this peace in his comments on today’s verse.
“It is not just a question of peace but of “my peace.” It is not only that God gives me peace but that “the peace of God,” the deep undisturbedness of God, keeps my heart. We get troubled when things go wrong, but let us realize something else. God chose this world to be the arena of His plan, the center of what He has set Himself to do….He is not afraid to wait another thousand years if need be. That is the peace which is given to us. Paul says the peace of God should be a garrison for my heart. What does that mean? It means that a foe must first fight through the garrison to reach me. The garrison must be overcome before my heart can be touched. So I dare to be as peaceful as God, for the peace of God—that peace which is keeping God—is keeping me.”
So don’t allow good times or bad times to deceive you; both are liars that turn our hearts away from the source of peace that is bigger than all of our fears. There is a shelter from life’s storms which ultimately conquers all of the storms of life. What is that shelter? Of course it is the peace we find in the very arms of God.
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