"I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid." (NCV)
What is God saying?
Jesus gives His followers the same peace that experienced during His life. It is a permanent peace, unlike the transitory peace of the world, which protects our hearts from worry and fear.
What is God saying to us today?
God gives us peace that is totally unique. It is the peace that attended Jesus while He was popular with the crowds and while He was rejected. It is the peace that Jesus had as He relaxed on the Sea of Galilee with His disciples and as He miraculously feed thousands. It is the peace that Jesus held onto as He worked as a craftsman and as He was nailed to a cross. There is nothing that this world can offer which will bring us peace throughout all of the highs and lows of life. When we face extremes in life, we almost always find peace to be elusive. But, God promises to give us a peace that was not shaken by the extremes that Christ experienced; therefore there is no reason for our hearts to know anything but peace.
What is God inviting us to do?
What kind of things steal your peace? Politics? Financial stress? Relationship problems? God invites us to let go of all that troubles us or makes us afraid by accepting His deep and abiding peace that will see us through whatever crosses we might bear.