HE GIVES US PEACE

“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.”

John 14:27

King James Version

Horatio Gates Spafford wrote a beautiful and inspiring hymn about peace “It Is Well with My Soul”.  “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll: Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know, It is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.”

Rev. Warren D. Cornell wrote one of my favorite hymns “Wonderful Peace”.  I love the words in this beautiful hymn.  “Ah! soul, are you here without comfort and rest, Marching down the rough pathway of time? Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark - O accept this sweet peace so sublime!  Peace, peace! wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above, Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray, In fathomless billows of love.”

Someone said “I went through a very difficult time in my life.  I did what I was supposed to do but I didn’t feel any peace.  I submit to you on the authority of the Word of God that it is impossible not to have peace no matter how many dark valleys we go through if we have invited Jesus into our heart to be our personal Saviour.

Jesus has promised us that He will never leave us and that He will always be with us and He keeps His promises.  What a loving Saviour we are privileged to know and have.  “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20).

Can we honestly say that we always love one another unconditionally as Jesus loves us?  I can’t say that I always love unconditionally.  There are times when I have to ask God to forgive me for not loving unconditionally.  We read in the Bible.  “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

It is time we stop judging others and start loving them unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love each other.  Never forget that when we are mean and hateful to others, we are also being mean and hateful to Jesus and breaking His heart.  “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me” (Matthew 25:44, 45).

If we want others to love us unconditionally, we need to love them unconditionally.  It is so true that we get back what we give out.  There are many people who are lonely, discouraged and hurting and they need to know that Jesus loves them.  Do they know Jesus loves them by our actions and by our words? 

Joanne Lowe

July 20, 2019