GOD’S PEACEFUL HEART

“PEACE I leave with you, MY PEACE I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” – John 14:27a    

No likeness of human peace can enrich our hearts like that which flows from GODS PEACEFUL HEART: “PEACE I leave with you, MY PEACE I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jh.14:27). At this moment when the disciples were troubled by the imminent departure of their Master, the Lord assured those who believe in Him and keep His commandments that they’ll never remain orphans. Rather, He promised the Blessing of the Holy Spirit from the Father, to be “another Helper” to abide with us forever (v.15-18). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth as well as of Righteousness, Joy and Peace: “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, PEACE and JOY in the Holy Spirit” (Rom.14:17).

Like Joy, Peace resides in God’s Heart. Peace is intrinsic in God’s Character. And the benevolent God always loves to share from the Overflow of His Heart. Isaiah had prophesied two millenia before: “You will keep him in PERFECT PEACE, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isa.26:3). So, Perfect Peace is possible! Also, God lamented over Israel: “Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your PEACE would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea” (Isa.48:18). The Will of God for our lives is “Peace…like a river,” not paltry peace or lives overwhelmed with worry and troubles.

God desires that we enjoy peace in all circumstances: “Now may the LORD of PEACE Himself give you PEACE ALWAYS in EVERY WAY. The Lord be with you all” (2The.3:16). That’s Unstoppable Peace – Peace always, at all times, by all means! The secrets: (1) We serve the God of Peace; (2) God is with us; and (3) Holy Spirit who dwells within us is wholly peaceful. He will bear the FRUIT of PEACE in our lives if we live in unbroken communion with Him (Gal.5:22). Such cheering verses telling of the peace available to us in all situations are not mere promises. As we centre our minds on God’s Word, meditating on them by faith, they shall be fulfilled in our lives. We’ll walk in transcendent peace untouched by the world’s raging storms, rolling billows, and turbulent trials (Psa.42:5).

Father-God longs for us to be children marked by His Peace – Peace in the good and bad times; because He remains faithful and good, always. God longs for us to be so founded in Him that nothing in this world can shake us: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have PEACE. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jh.16:33). We have no reason to live in subjection to stresses and depressions of the world. Trials and tribulations will try to look all-consuming if we allow them to. We’re not to live with our physical eyes as our sole source of truth. God has endowed us with spiritual eyes and the ability to have faith in His faithfulness and goodness regardless of our circumstances. We are not alone. We are never alone.

The Peace of God is our portion; one that’s not given as the world gives based on the fickle human nature and the ever-changing opinion of the world. Divine Peace finds its source solely in the eternal Heart of our loving heavenly Father. Our hearts will never be troubled if we’ll only open them to His (v.27b). We must take our emotions captive and ground them in the unshakable nature of God, always allowing a direct connection from our hearts to the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, letting Him speak to us, fill us, and direct our every moment. God commands, “And let the PEACE of GOD rule in your hearts…” (Col.3:15a). This Peace transcends the material and mundane. It is the peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Phil.4:7).