Daily Devotion - January 31, 2024

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)

What is the peace that the world gives? It is a slice of time without pressure, problem, or threat. We can know such times but, in a fallen world, such peace never lasts. Knowing that, our hearts are never really at peace amidst the world’s inevitable troubles.

Christ’s peace can be distinguished from that of the world by paintings produced for an art competition. The prize was promised to the artist who best depicted peace.  

One artist painted a pastoral scene: sheep in a rich pasture of green, a flowing stream, and a cloudless sky on a beautiful sunny day. 

The other artist painted a storm at sea, with waves crashing, winds blowing, and the sea foaming. Yet, in the middle of the raging sea was a pelican calmly riding the waves through the storm.

Who won the competition? The one representing what Jesus promised: Real peace is not the absence of trouble, but confidence in the midst of trouble. 

True peace in this world will never come through the perfection of our circumstances, but through confidence in the eternal security our Savior graciously provides.

Prayer: Father, when the storms of life surround me, may I experience the peace that passes understanding through confidence in my Savior’s gracious provision of eternal care.