“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...” (John 14:27)
What do you think about when you think of peace? What does it look like to have it or not have it? We often think of peace as being free from disturbance. But what’s different about peace as the world sees it and peace that comes from God?
The Hebrew word for peace is “Shalom,” which can be translated to mean “nothing is missing, nothing is broken.” Near the end of his life, Jesus talked about peace to his disciples. In John 14, he speaks to the wholeness we can find in him. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, can fill the space where things have been lost, mend the broken pieces in our lives, and make them new. Our peace, therefore, is not the absence of problems but rather the presence of a person, Jesus.
Is there an area of your life where you feel something is missing or broken? Maybe it’s an unanswered prayer or a strained relationship. Bring those things to Jesus now, and ask him to teach you what it looks like for him to fill those gaps.
Father, today I offer up these broken pieces and empty spaces to you—the Restorer, the Maker of all things new. Fill those places with your presence. Teach me about your kind of peace, not as the world tries to give, but as you have given me. As I wait for you in this Advent season, I anticipate your peace—your Shalom.
