Day 14: Jesus Has a Gift For You
Read John 14:22-27
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 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.
Reflect
How do you feel when someone is going to give you a beautifully wrapped gift? Curious and excited to see what’s in the box? In this passage, Jesus tells us of an amazing gift He is leaving us. In the Message version of the Bible, verse 27 reads, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” In New Testament times the Pax Romana, the Roman peace, was won and maintained by force. When people of the world say, “Peace be with you,” it is an expression of hope and goodwill. When Jesus said He would give His peace to His disciples (and us), much more was involved. He is offering a peace of mind in the midst of trials and persecutions, a peace we experience because of the Holy Spirit living in us (Galatians 5:22).
As a Jesus follower, you have the Spirit of God alive and active in you. You can have this amazing gift of peace on a daily basis regardless of personal circumstances and trials. In Philippians 4:7, Paul tells us this peace is beyond our comprehension. So, this peace isn’t something you are cognitively going to figure out – no matter how high your IQ. This is a peace that surpasses all of your understanding. It is a miraculous type of peace even with a fantastic military presenceor all the money in the world. The type of peace Jesus offers is a deep inner peace that reaches down to the core of your soul.
This is a peace that surpasses all of your understanding, and it is a miraculous type of peace only received from God.
Respond
Today, is your heart troubled (distressed, afflicted, agitated, anxious) or afraid? Do you want help in this area of your life where you don’t have peace? Jesus is offering you a beautifully wrapped gift of peace. Put out your hands, palms up and receive the gift. Open the package labeled, “peace” that He is handing you. Talk to Jesus about the peace that you need. Now, put back in the box all of your heart’s troubles, anxiety and fears. Hand that box back to Jesus. If you take back your box of troubles, anxieties and fears later today, put them back in the box and hand it again to Jesus. He offers the gift of peace over and over again. There is no limit. He loves you, He gets you and continually offers you the gift of peace.