Perfect Peace
This world is a scary place. This life is a scary life.
Chaos. Betrayal. Sickness. Peril. Terror. Rage. Ignorance. Instability. Wars. Rumors of wars. Within, without, in relationships, home, work, school, society, the world. Everywhere except one place: Jesus. The very one named the Prince of Peace.
Even at His human birth, Jesus brought the proclamation of peace. To a band of very scared shepherds an angel of the Lord and a vast multitude of the heavenly host proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14, NIV). Glory! Peace! That’s Jesus.
Jesus brought a calm to a very lost and scared world. Don’t fear. The battle is won. All is well. All is well.
We can better understand this concept of “peace” by looking at the Hebrew word shalom (which is similar to the Greek word eirēnē used throughout the New Testament). Faithlife Study Bible defines shalom as “peace, wholeness, completeness; it carries with it connotations of well-being, harmony, and security.” In We Saved You A Seat, Lisa-Jo Baker says, “Shalom means caring about someone else’s safety and soundness in body, welfare, prosperity, peace and contentment, friendship and good health—to name just a few—as well as caring deeply about seeing conflict come to an end.” Throughout His Word and His earthly ministry we find Jesus demonstrating, offering, commending, and commanding this peace, this shalom.
In John 14:27 we hear Jesus telling us His followers, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (KJV). What a gift to have in this scary, broken world. Not as the world, indeed! And this gift is not just to have and to hold.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus declares, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9, NIV). Want to be like God? Do things to create peace, goodness, rest, unity, and calm. The NLT translates it, “God blesses those who work for peace.” We are blessed to be a blessing. Lisa-Jo Baker says, “We are at peace so we can be peace.”
Throughout Scripture we are continually reminded of our gifting, identity, and calling in relation to peace. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace” (Colossians 3:15, NIV). We need to be reminded of this on a regular basis. We need to be on guard because this scary world of fears will make us forget Whose we are, who we are, and what we are here for.
The original disciples needed this reminder, too, for they were well-acquainted with fear in this scary world. They had deserted Jesus when the mob came for Him. They had watched Jesus be torturously murdered. They had taken His battered body and put it in a tomb. Shalom was not reigning in their hearts and minds.
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’…Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:19, 21, NIV, emphasis added).
Shalom, indeed!
What a great reminder to us that, contrary to what our eyes, minds, and racing hearts may tell us, Jesus’ peace does not leave us. I love how The Bible Exposition Commentary puts it: “In our fears, we cannot lock Him out!”
Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness
No shelter or help is nigh
Carest Thou not that we perish?
How canst Thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threatening
A grave in the angry deep?
The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea
Or demons or men, or whatever it be
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will
Peace, be still!
Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will
Peace, peace be still!
-From “Master, the Tempest Is Raging” by Mary A. Baker
Destiny Teasley lives in Nevada, where she is a lover of the arts, pop culture, and travel (you'll often find her daydreaming about being in Israel or Disneyland). She delights in encountering beauty in the world and helping others to see and celebrate it for themselves. Destiny studied at Baylor, UNLV, Oxford, and Dallas Theological Seminary. You can find more of her writing at her blog,whentherockscryout.com .