27TH OCTOBER

PEACE IN TURMOIL

“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.”

(John 14:27)

Peace is described as freedom from disturbance, or absence of conflict. But can we really be free from all forms of disturbances and conflicts in this world? And for how long?

We struggle with sin, doubt, fear, stress of everyday life, relationships with others and the forces of darkness. How is His peace that our Lord Jesus gives us different? This peace is not the absence of conflict but the confident assurance in the unconditional love of our omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God that, whatever the circumstance, we need not fear the present or the future. All we need to do is to accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord and cast our cares on Him. Then we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to restrain the evil forces and fill us with inner peace and comfort, even in the midst of challenges.

“Easier said than done,” some would say. But if we trust the manufacturer of the aircraft, enter it and fly for hours in peace of mind, why is it difficult to trust the Creator who created the manufacturer and gave him insight to manufacture it? He also created the world and has control over all things.

I remember an episode in an aircraft. An elderly lady got very sick and the cabin crew asked for doctors. A doctor who sat next to me got up quickly to attend to her. I am not a doctor, so I sat tight and did the only thing I could do, pray.

When there is any disturbance in our lives, our primary responsibility – like the cabin crew who called for doctors – is to call on our Lord, who alone can resolve it and in the midst of it give us His peace. Why do we let our hearts be troubled and afraid of issues in His world? “My peace I give to you,” says the Lord.

ACTION:  Is there any storm in your life? Focus on Jesus and you will find peace.

PRAYER: Lord, strengthen me with your peace, even in the turmoil of the world.