Pieces of Peace? // John 14:27

Peace. All too often we view peace as the absence of conflict. Jesus was pretty honest that following Him meant we were due for all kinds of conflict; therefore, peace for the Lord is to find comfort in the midst of our troubles. Jesus said that the peace we need cannot come from the world, but only from Him. So what are we to take away in our search? I think the beauty of Christ’s offer is revealed in better understanding the original language. Peace in the ancient Greek is translated as, eiréné, which means one, peace, quietness, and rest. It originates from the root word eirō, which means to join, or tie together into a whole. Pretty awesome, huh? What we find is we discover the Lord’s calm when we are joined together, at one, and made whole with Him. This runs in direct opposition to the homonym of peace, or piece. Chaos in the world can break us into pieces. Jesus’ loving power binds us together with God in perfect peace. Isaiah 26:3 comforts us by saying, “You (God) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” If you’re facing crises in this world — and let’s face it, who isn’t? — don’t let it break you into pieces. No, go to God, fix your mind on Jesus, and experience the perfect peace He longs to make available to you by being made whole with Him.