Just the word “Peace” conveys a feeling of quiet, doesn’t it? But what truly is Peace?

A stormy, raging sea and a small boat wrestling with the waves to maintain it’s balance, and Jesus raises His hand and says “Peace, be still.”  A sense of calmness and utter stillness comes as an after effect of those spoken words.  I can feel it, can’t you?

Then comes the song “I have Peace like a river…” or the bible verse Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee…”

When I think of peace, my mind can only think of what it is NOT.  It is not turmoil, anxiousness, noise, fear.  It is not uncertainty, doubt, stress or agitation.  In John 14:27 the verse reads “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.” This verse is telling me that there are two kinds of peace, one the world offers and one that is “out of this world.”

The peace offered by Jesus takes away those things that trouble the heart and those things that cause us to be fearful.  What is the “peace” of this world?  As I look around today, I am not sure there is much this world has to offer but let us look at the troubles of the heart and maybe we can figure it out.  It does not take much to determine that Health, Finances, and World Affairs are the “big 3” struggles we as humans face.

Health
We take peace for granted when there is no issue here, but certainly when faced with sickness, disease or uncertainty of life, our hearts can be troubled.  Even those who have significant others with health struggles can keep our own “healthy” hearts ill at ease.  The world has much to offer in the way of “peace,” such as remedies, advice, directions to take – all for the purpose of healing or bringing us back to “life” as we know it.  There is a certain amount of peace I suppose in knowing that the doctor or the remedy will fix the problem and you will be “good as new.”  However, this peace is fleeting.  Yes, you may be healed and relief from this battle can bring a momentary sense of peace, but it is the all consuming, all day peace which is allusive.  No sooner than you are healed, you may be viciously thrown into the turmoil of a financial burden, which keeps your peace at bay.

Financial
Peace is found in a steady paycheck, bills paid, food on the table and extra for the bank or pleasure. The world keeps us on the treadmill of life, pursuing this peace. There is security in not having to be fearful for tomorrow, but what happens if you lose your job. Where goes the peace?

World Affairs
Today we are in quite a state of uproar.  The physical world is shaken with earthquakes, hurricanes, fire, drought, floods, you name it.  Then of course we cannot forget pestilence!  The political world is glued together with a poor epoxy of lies and the financial world is on the brink of crashing into the abyss.  Humans are well noted for searching to find answers to maintain peace, bring back peace or create peace.  Vaccines, firewalls, locks, storing up, saving up, building up are our means of protecting the peace, yet daily it is being tested. However, there is a peace that the world cannot give, a peace that the world cannot understand…  Can you hear the tune? Here enters the “out of this world” Peace – Jesus.  “My peace I give to you…” I dare say that Jesus doesn’t HAVE peace, He IS Peace!

Let us link arms with Jesus and take a walk. We are on the troubled raging sea of life.  My Peace (Jesus) is with me.  “Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God” Isaiah 41:10.  Just as Jesus calms the stormy sea, He can calm the stormy heart.

When we are sick, really sick, maybe even dying.  My Peace (Jesus) comes into the sickroom and He heals. Matthew 8:16, 17 says “They brought to Him many who were oppressed by demons and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” Do not ever doubt that you will be healed emotionally, spiritually, mentally.  Physical healing may come right away, in the future or on the resurrection morning, but it will come!

My Peace (Jesus) will be with us as the world as we know it topples to destruction.  If we have been holding on to the world and anything in it, we will find peace disappearing and turmoil overtaking us; but if we hold onto Jesus, and His Peace resides IN us, the world and all it supposedly offers can disappear and our Peace (Jesus) will remain.  “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee…” Hebrews 13:5.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

This makes us want to sing the chorus and second verse of the song “Peace, Wonderful Peace”

 “Peace, Peace, wonderful peace.
Coming down from the Father above.
Sweep over my spirit forever I pray,
in fathomless billows of Love.

Ah, soul are you here without comfort and rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time.
Make Jesus your Friend, ere the shadows grow dark,
O accept of this sweet Peace so sublime.”

In conclusion, as long as we continue hold onto one thing in this world, peace will evade us. Jesus must be our All in All.  He is our Peace. An ever-present help in trouble. Our Comforter. Everything in this world will be removed, and rightly so, as we cannot take anything with us where we are going.  Friends bind your heart to Jesus.  Hold onto Jesus.  Give His Spirit permission to take you wholly.  Allow Jesus to reside in you.  Peace will remain with you and it will keep you, as you head into the tumultuous times ahead.  The process of letting go of this world is not easy, but it is necessary, in order for us to learn complete and utter dependence on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace.

By Orti J. Weich
Guest writer

Orti J. Weich
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