John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
This is my second day spent with the Lord on this verse. Yesterday I read it over and over. Then prayed and talked with the Lord over it. Today, I was drawn back to this verse again.
It was customary in the Jewish culture to part ways by wishing peace (shalom) over others. When leaving you'd essentially say, "I'm going home now. Peace be with you." Like how we here in America might say, "Goodbye" or "See you later".
Now shalom in the Hebrew isn't just peace. There is so much more to this word. It means completeness, wholeness, soundness, welfare, peace, health, safety, quiet, tranquility, contentment.
Think of the depth of this one little word, shalom. It doesn't just mean everything is cool. No trouble. No worries. No disruptions. It means wholeness. It means completeness. It means soundness, tranquility, contentment, safety…….
Now stop and think when you tell someone, "Goodbye", does it mean anything to you or to them? Really think it over for a moment. The last time you said goodbye to someone, did you truly mean it all the way back to the roots of the word, "God be with you"? Did you truly wish them good?
If we're being honest and transparent, I'd venture to say 99.99% of us say it out of habit or politeness. It's just something we do in our culture, much like when we greet someone we tend to say, "How are you today?" or "How's it going?". Do we genuinely care how they're doing or is it just a habit?
Okay, so I've rambled a bit here but the whole thing that was on me yesterday into today was here is Jesus telling His disciples it's His time to go. He does this beautiful and powerful thing here. He starts by giving them the standard Jewish goodbye.
"Peace I leave with you."
The expected "Goodbye" or "See you later"…… BUT Jesus doesn't stop there. Just like Shalom doesn't just stop at peace. Oh no, no, no... Jesus goes on…
"My peace I give to you…"
He clarifies to them and to us, this isn't just any peace or shalom, this is HIS peace, HIS shalom! The peace of Jesus Christ, Son of God, The Way, The Truth, The Life! He doesn't even stop there though…
"My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you."
Jesus makes it crystal clear this isn't some generic, polite, standard goodbye. It was so much more. It would be as if you were leaving your friend or family and said, "Well I'm heading home now. Goodbye…. but I want you to know I really, genuinely wish you good, and that God would be with you. Not just goodbye to end our time but may goodness, peace, wellness, love, contentment fill your life and your home as we part ways."
Maybe that sounds corny or dramatic but have you ever parted ways with someone and genuinely wished this upon them and expressed it?
Jesus does it! This world has no peace, no contentment, no wholeness, but in Christ Jesus we absolutely have those things. He is those things to/for His flock, those who hear His voice and know Him, and He knows them.
It doesn't matter what the world has going on around us if we cling to Him. When Jesus gives us peace, it's not a shallow, surface level good feeling, it is shalom. It is everything and with Him we can walk through this troubled, chaotic, crazy world and not let our hearts be troubled or be fearful in anyway.
Oh Christian, I pray you would cling to Jesus. Cling to His Word. Cling to His commandments. Abide in Him. You'll never regret it.
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