WATCHWORD:
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” Isaiah 52:7
“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
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Meditation:
Shalom, Eirene, Peace
Peace. We read about peace in the Scriptures. We hear a lot about peace in church services. In times of war we yearn for peace. When chaos surrounds us we long for peace and quiet.
How would you define peace? What does it mean to you? How would you describe a world where only peace existed? Is it simply the absence of troubles? Is peace related to the absence of fear, anxiety, worry? I wonder if our understanding of peace is only about the absence of negative stuff in our lives?
The Hebrew Bible uses a familiar word, shalom. In its purest sense, shalom means “peace.” The connotation is positive. That is, when someone says, “Shalom,” or, “Peace unto you,” it doesn’t mean, “I hope you don’t get into any trouble”; it means, “I hope you have all the highest good coming your way.”
As you know, Greek words have multiple meanings. Greek for peace is ‘Eirene’. It is a word that is used to describe a state of tranquility between individuals. It also means harmony, security and prosperity. These are all positive synonyms for peace.
The biblical concept of peace does not focus on the absence of negative elements. Biblical peace is unrelated to our circumstances; it is a goodness of life that is not touched by the news, or anything that happens outside. You may be in the midst of great distress and still have biblical peace.
Where does a man find the kind of peace that is not just the absence of trouble—the kind of peace that cannot be affected by trouble, danger, or sorrow? It is ironic that what is surely the most definitive example on peace in all of Scripture comes from the Lord Jesus on the night before He died in agony. He knew what He was about to face, yet He still took time to comfort His disciples with the message of peace:
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives
Tanna was a dear friend. I visited her in her hospice rom, shortly before her death. She greeted the nurse, as she had greeted me, with a great, warm smile and asked “how are you doing?” In the midst of a happy conversation, the nurse asked about her pain level, on a 10-point scale. Tanna’s response? ‘10’. Tanna’s concern was only for her husband, her children, the nurse that cared for her and whoever came into her room. Tanna was a peace.
The peace that Tanna shown, was the peace that Jesus is speaking of which enables believers to remain calm in the most wildly fearful circumstances. It enables them to hush a cry, rejoice in pain and trial, and sing in the middle of suffering. That may have been Tanna lying in that bed, but I glimpsed Jesus.
The peace that God leaves with us is the peace that comes with the conviction that we are God’s children, we are in His hands and we know where our ultimate home is. Shalom.
Observation:
People who lack peace in their lives simply have not taken the time to pursue it. God’s peace comes to those with the personal discipline to stop in the midst of the storms of life and take time to seek Him. It is a condition of peace that we cease from life’s activity and know Him. He commands, “Be still, and know that I am God”. And to those whose minds are steadfastly fixed on Him, He gives the gift of peace. From Pastor John MacArthur
Closing Prayer Lyrics:
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well with my soul.”
My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.
Eirene
