Peace Like No Other
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27
Today is Friday 25th September 2020. We are only a week in to the new academic year here in Canterbury and each day the headlines have something about universities, colleges, campuses, halls of residence, lectures, seminars, what will happen at Christmas, how assessment will be carried out…
…and breathe.
If you are a student right now, you are needing to deal with more than has ever been experienced by students in recent memory. My university years weren’t too long ago (cough cough), and I remember the first weeks having a sense of fun and excitement to them - but also worries and fears. I felt fatigued four weeks in, and that was your more typical university year; very different to this year, I can tell you that.
If you are struggling with all the headlines at the moment and the way things seem to be heading, I want to speak over you (via this blog) the verse above from the gospel of John.
Jesus spoke those words to his disciples when they were feeling anxious. Jesus is talking to them about his soon-departure. The one they have left everything for is saying he will leave them. They would have felt a mixture of things at that thought - vulnerable, isolated, exposed to those who were against them, without hope.
Perhaps some of that is how you feel today. Thank the Lord that the words of comfort he spoke to his disciples over 2000 years ago he speaks to us now through his living and active word. Thank the Lord that we have the peace and comfort given by the Holy Spirit - the Helper Jesus pointed towards as he spoke to his disciples to promise them comfort, and the Helper who resides in all who believe in Jesus and can pour out great measures of peace to you right now.
His peace surpasses understanding. It is not a worldly peace that is fleeting. It is deep and lasting and steadfast. It can come at the times when peace seems the furthest away.
It is wise and important to keep up with the news. Things are changing rapidly and universities are understandably a current focal point. But if that is all we look at and read, we can find ourselves overwhelmed and short of any sense of peace.
‘Let not your hearts be troubled; neither let them be afraid.’ Use His word to fight the good fight for the guarding of your heart against fear and anxiety. Come to the words of Jesus. Start and end your day listening to him. Be like the godly person in Psalm 1 whose delight is in the instruction of the Lord, who meditates on His law day and night.
As more news comes, be quicker to turn to Scripture. Use it as the sword of the Spirit it is. The world doesn’t have an equivalent, and God doesn’t offer a replacement. As you do, I pray you come to know in even greater measure the God of all comfort who brings peace like no other.