THINK TOGETHER
When do you feel the most peaceful?
READ TOGETHER
In the Bible the word “peace” is a very important word. In the Old Testament it is the Hebrew word shalom. Can you say Shalom (sha –lome)? In Jesus’ time people said hello and goodbye by saying shalom or “peace” to each other. To them the word peace meant hoping that there were no problems.
But often there’s not a lot of peace in the world around us is there? People love to argue and fight and even hurt each other sometimes don’t they? Or sometimes things in life can just be really hard. We get sick. We make mistakes. We fail. We get scared. But Jesus promised us that he would give us the Holy Spirit when we trust in him. And Jesus told us that when we have the Holy Spirit we can have peace. Listen to how Jesus said it to his disciples here in John’s gospel:
John 14:26-27. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 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.
The amazing thing is that Jesus said this just before he died on the cross. So in just few minutes Jesus and the disciples are going to go through the hardest thing ever, and still Jesus says that they can have peace. Why? Because when we have Jesus we can have peace on the inside even when we don’t have peace on the outside. Even when we’re scared and anxious on the inside we can know that everything will still be OK because we will always have Jesus with us no matter what because the Holy Spirit of peace lives in us forever.
Because of Jesus we can always have God’s peace.
With Jesus we live free from fear and worry.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Listen to Peace Like a River by Joshua Wicker (his whole Joy album is great).
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, even when things are hard and scary you give me the peace that comes from knowing that you still love me no matter what. Amen.
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