Eric Tworek is a worship leader at Community Church and one of the featured blog writers for Peak Reflections. Eric encourages us to connect with God through praise and worship.
Earlier this month my wife, Deb, our daughter, Leah, and I traveled to Florida during Leah’s spring break. We stayed with my parents enjoying the pool, the beach, and fresh orange juice while sitting in the shade under their orange tree (one of my favorite non-activities). I discovered many years ago that the less I do during vacation, the more rested I am when I return. This was a very peaceful, restful time.
During our drive back, which was mostly uneventful, except for the traffic jam around Atlanta, I found myself singing an old song I had not thought of for years. I am always amazed by the power an old song has to bring up old memories and transport me back in time.
The song was written by Kay Waldo, a college friend. It is a simple chorus, or what we used to call a Scripture song, taken from John 14:27. Kay’s version reads like this: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you; not as the world gives give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. My peace I give to you.”
I sang this short chorus to myself for many miles, thinking back to my college years and remembering my newfound joy in trusting Jesus. As my thoughts wandered and returned to the song, I was suddenly struck (a God moment) by one of the lines, “not as the world gives give I unto you.” What did Jesus mean by this? I have read this Scripture many times and years ago had sung this song many times but once again something fresh was growing out of the living Word of God.
How does the world give peace compared to how Jesus gives peace? In the world’s system I believe we usually look for peace in two ways, security and lack of adversity. We measure security by the dependability of our job, the size of our 401k, the size of our house, and the year and model of our car. We see a lack of adversity or controversy in our lives and our relationships as peace. But this is not what Jesus was offering.
Jesus was homeless, jobless and walked almost everywhere (except the occasional boat trip and a short ride into Jerusalem on a donkey). He also faced a tremendous amount of controversy and adversity, to the point of His being wrongly accused, judged and executed. So where is the peace in His life that He is offering us?
His peace was in His eternal security, in His knowing that for a short time He would endure struggles, pain and rejection, but He would not be alone. In John 16:32-33 Jesus says, “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Jesus was secure in His relationship with God, His Father. His confidence in that relationship allowed Him to reject the peace this world had to offer in order to accept the peace His Father’s heavenly kingdom offered. Jesus gives us that same invitation. “ In Me you may have Peace.”
All the world really has to offer is tribulation and uncertainty, but Jesus offers us the certainty of an eternal relationship with Him.
That, my friends, is real peace.
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