Peace be with You
AN EASTER REFLECTION
The first thing Jesus said when he appeared to His disciples locked in the upper room on the evening of resurrection day was, “Peace be with you.” A common greeting, probably. A profound statement of the resurrected life, definitely.
Jesus came so we could have peace. Not the kind of peace the world gives—fleeting, momentary and dependent on our circumstances, but true peace, lasting peace, supernatural peace. And how our world longs for peace.
“World peace” may be the acceptable answer for beauty pageant questions (I’m thinking Miss Congeniality here), but it is a resounding cry of the human heart. Imagine a world without war for a moment. No need for the military. No war-induced PTSD. No war refugees or minefields or collateral damage.
But it’s not just global peace our hearts long for. We want peace to fill our anxious minds, to be able to sleep soundly free from worry. We long to sit comfortably and appreciate a sky changing colour, listen to children laughing, enjoy a good book without the knot of anxiety deep in our gut. The ever-present feeling of dread, overwhelm, regret, fear. It’s just there, below the mask of our confident smile.
And it’s loudest in the quiet. When we sit still and try to unwind, the knot surfaces, tangling our thoughts. When everything else is quiet, it’s the mess that gets loud. Guilt, regret, unforgiveness, pain. It gets loud in the quiet.
So we distract ourselves. Turn Netflix on, go shopping, clean something. Eat something. We stay busy and keep moving, so the quiet doesn’t get too loud.
It’s exhausting.
“Peace be with you.” Oh, how I long for this peace. Peace that shushes the voice in my head.
How do we get this elusive peace? In relationship with Jesus. This is what He said:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (1Peter 5:7)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7)
Want more? Google ‘verses about peace’ and soak in the hope God’s word offers.
When we trust in Christ as our Lord and Saviour we can let go of all the worry, anxiety and fear, giving it to Him, and instead, accept the peace He offers. Take off the old way of thinking, lay it down at the foot of the cross, and put on the new. Take the old thoughts captive and replace them with the truth of who we are in Christ.
Peace be with you.
This is why Jesus came. This is the meaning of Easter.
