On Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV).


I’ve been thinking about this verse a lot lately in what seems like a daily increase of turmoil and divide in the world. Jesus very intentionally clarified that His peace was not the same as the world’s peace. The peace the world is currently striving for is empty. It’s a surface level peace. It’s probably better defined as tolerance or an absence of conflict. There is no true peace or resolution for the cause of the conflict or the sin at the heart of matters. The peace the Lord gives is life-saving and life-giving.


The word Jesus would have used in the original language here would have been Shalom. Shalom is a very universal word in the Hebrew language. It’s taken from the root word “shalam”, which means “to be safe in body, mind or estate”. It can be used as a greeting or farewell. In a more biblical sense it refers to a sense of inward wholeness or completeness, and we can only have that through reconciliation with God through Christ Jesus.


Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9). In the Jameson-Fausset-Brown Bible commentary it states, “But it was not till Christ "made peace by the blood of the cross" that God could manifest Himself as "the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant" (Heb 13:20)—could reveal Himself as "in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them," and hold Himself forth in the astonishing attitude of beseeching men to be "reconciled to Himself" (2Co 5:19, 20). When this reconciliation actually takes place, and one has "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"—even "the peace of God which passeth all understanding"—the peace-receivers become transformed into peace-diffusers. God is thus seen reflected in them; and by the family likeness these peacemakers are recognized as the children of God.”


Dear friends, don’t settle for peace as the world gives it. Take heart in the perfect peace that transcends all understanding that can only come from the Lord. Spend time in His presence. Spiritual synchronicity with the heart of God is only achieved by learning His heart well. To have peace, we must know Him, be reconciled to Him. To be a peacemaker, to bring the peace the Lord gives on earth as it is in Heaven, we must reflect Him, and we must have that inner Shalom ourselves.


AW Tozer said, “Where there is no peace in the heart, there will be no peace on earth.”