John 14:27-31
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
When we think about Jesus before His death, we remember He really prayed for the cup to pass from Him. This sacrifice was terribly difficult for Him. What Jesus said at the Last Supper, before His death, was John 14 to chapter 18, & Jesus had a lot to say. When Jesus tells us about peace, He isn't speaking from a peaceful place in His own life, the night before his betrayal & death. Jesus is telling us God's peace isn't temporary and it doesn't have to do with happy events. Jesus is telling us, regardless of events, He has a place for us. Regardless of events, we are loved. Regardless of events, God has not forgotten, His will is being accomplished.
I think God's peace can present the Christian with guilt. No.... Guilt. If we aren't in our happy place, then we aren't letting God's Holy Spirit work in us. That isn't it. Jesus was in relationship with His Father; He didn't pretend to grit his teeth, look supreme & aloof, and march to His death. Jesus was able to live His life with Joy. Jesus could have dinner with the people Jesus declared were his mother, brother & sisters doing God's will and let the New Covenant be a celebration. Sure, the disciples were confused, but Jesus knew exactly what He was saying about Peace, then telling Peter about desertion and the rooster crowing 3 times.
Imagine the joyful celebration of the new covenant. Jesus is telling them a supreme message of hope. He tells them... He will never leave them orphaned. Jesus would cry out to God in just hours that He felt forsaken. Peace isn't about the stiff upper lip, peace is being rescued by God even when it is faith - the substance of the unseen.
My maternal grandmother lived a hard life with a lot of gratitude. She had God's Peace. She used to say," You have to rise above it." Not the grit your teeth, look supreme and aloof, and march forward type. The Rise, let us go from here variety Jesus lived.
May God bless and comfort the people looking careworn. Let the Peace of God give them times of rest and assurance. To find a blessing in each day, to be assured of God's love. That the Helper might lift them and guide them. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Reposted Scripture for Today Blogspot
May 4, 2010
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