My Peace I Give To You

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. 

John 14:27 

So, we arrive at the beginning of a new year. Every new year holds the potential for greatness. There may be great joy or great sorrow; peace or strife; quiet or tumult within the course of the upcoming three hundred and sixty-five days. We have no way of knowing or foreseeing all, or perhaps any, of what may come to pass. We may approach the year with anticipation or trepidation, or with a combination of both, along with whatever other attendant emotions crowd in to compete with one another. On the night before Christ went to the cross, while He was in the upper room, He made the remark which serves as our text today. Christ well understood what His disciples were about to face. He knew that they were about to be grieved, terrified, fearful, distraught and uncertain. Hence He declares to them, ‘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.’ This serves our purpose for the incoming year. We are also Christ’s disciples. We have no idea what we will face this year. It is not so important that we know what we will face, as that we know the One Who knows. He gives to us peace which will uphold us through every circumstance, whether they be happy or sad, joyful or tumultuous. As we face the incoming year, let us look to Him, Who can give to us the peace which passes all understanding. 

Our God of peace, we rejoice that You have laid before us 
yet another year in which to worship You. 
We praise You, that throughout all the upcoming year,  
You will glorify Yourself in showing us the Christ who gives peace. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning