And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
Peace. We can have it, we
can give it away, and we can make it. That last one has me wondering.
Where does peace come from?
Do we have peace because we have everything we need or want? Do we finally have
peace when our lives are on track and we are finally organized?
And what about giving it
away? Is peace a commodity, something we can acquire and use as we need it? Or
is it more about the state of your soul? Is peace more about what we hold in
our hands or does it have more to do with what we hold in our hearts?
The Gospel of John reminds
us that Jesus gives us peace, but it’s different from the kind of peace the
world gives. It’s the kind of peace not based on our finances or even the
security of having a roof over our heads. Jesus gives us the peace of himself
in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus provides a peace that dwells within,
not based on what we hold but rather, based on what (and who) holds us.
Dear Holy One,
when questions about what is going on in the world weigh heavy on our soul,
remind us of your peace that surrounds us and fills us. Amen.
Pastor Kathleen A. Kerin is
the pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, PA.
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