DAY 12 (22 Dec): The Peace of God

27 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)

The peace of God is with us; His presence is felt more mightily in our stillness.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus assured us that His gift of peace is a mark of His presence; more than anything the world can provide in the journey of our faith and in calming the storms of our lives. For Jesus says, “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)

What a marvellous assurance!

Indeed, a much-needed reminder during this Advent season as we live in the midst of our hectic lifestyle, our longing to gasp a breather from the suffocation of stress, pressure and anxiety. 

The peace of God is all we need. For it is God’s gift of His peace to each of us which serves as a lifeline in acknowledging His presence. 

As I was preparing this devotion, I recalled a lesson I learned from Christian Soul Care, where one of the essential spiritual disciplines for soul care is self-examination of our awareness of God’s presence. 

In the midst of our stillness before God, we are able to stop our frantic activity, to calm our anxious thoughts raging within us and embrace the peace of His presence.

In that moment, we find rest for our souls.

Let us be assured that the Holy Spirit brings peace of mind to all who are facing difficult situations and helps us forge peaceful relationships within our families, in our marriage and our relationship with others, just as Paul encourages us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3)

Let us, then, encourage one another to set aside moments of stillness as part of our daily routine to experience God’s presence and His guidance. 

Allow His presence to align our focus on Him, to open the door for His work in our lives and remind us that His peace is with us.

Now, “may God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through” (1 Thessalonians 5:23a) and “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Amen!

All Saints Presbyterian Church

Rev Daniel Lee