March Madness | The Madness of Chaos | His Peace

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you…not as the world gives. Don’t…be troubled or fearful.” John 14:27

The moment Adam took a bite of the forbidden fruit, chaos replaced peace in God’s creation. Animals turned on each other and became stalker and prey. Thorns grew where wildflowers once dominated, and human beings left the presence of God to follow their own inclinations. Our world continues in that state of chaos. America is beginning to experience what much of the world has always known. Violence, hatred, and insanity are fast becoming the norm. Good has been declared evil, and evil good. Despite our insistence that we want peace, we don’t seem to know how to find it. We’re looking in the wrong places.

The world was chaotic when Jesus walked it. His disciples had invested three years of their lives with this Messiah, now He was leaving. Circumstances surrounding Him had been chaotic. Riots broke out everywhere He went. Authorities were stalking Him, hoping to kill Him. He’d been murdered before their eyes. Yet, they’d only found real peace in His presence. It was a peace they’d never known before. In the midst of the chaos surrounding Him, there was a quiet knowing, a conviction that this was the only right thing in the universe. He told them His peace would continue, even when He went back to His Father. He would send the Holy spirit to continue the work He’d begun. Living in His peace can often mean circumstances get harder. But He’s with us. He helps us. His peace is eternal and the only kind that offers real hope.

Final Thought:  Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of God.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your peace. Because of what you’ve done for me, I know this world is not my home. It’s temporary. My struggles are temporary. Your peace lasts forever. Help me rise above circumstances and live in peace. Amen.