Living 4 Him

“Peace be with you.” John 20:26

Go in peace.  Those words bring refreshment, like a cool rain shower on a hot day.  But when Jesus speaks Go in peace, the words take on a new life.

The phrase, Go in peace, appears in Matthew, Mark and Luke, as a woman whose body has bled for 12 years comes near Jesus.  Doctor after doctor and remedy after remedy have not brought the healing she desires.  And so, she places her faith in the healer she has heard about.  Only one touch from the healer and you are completely new again.  With a firm belief that merely touching the fringe hanging from his robe will stop her bleeding, she reaches.

Jesus feels healing power leave his body and asks to know who has touched him.  The woman confesses and Jesus professes that because of her faith, she has been healed.  Then, he says, “Go in peace.” (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 25-34, Luke 8:43-48)

Peace.  An invitation to live in the faith that brought her to the healer.  An invitation to partake not only of his healing, but to partake of his entire being.  This personal, embracing peace is the peace Jesus offers to us.  

Jesus spoke of peace when he told the disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift-peace of heart and peace of mind. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So do not be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 (NLT)

We sometimes think of peace as a feeling of great relief, like receiving good test results at the doctor or finding something that had been lost for awhile or finishing a huge task.  But Jesus invites us to experience true peace impacting the depths of our souls.  Connecting with true peace involves reaching for God and all that he is.  

When Jesus returned to the disciples after his resurrection, he spoke the words, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:21, John 20:26)  Jesus, bestowing this blessing upon his dearly loved friends, was also announcing that the ultimate gift of peace had arrived; his overarching salvation and everlasting presence. 

A study of the word “peace” in the Bible reveals two different words, “shalom” and “eirene,” used throughout its translation.  Interpretations of these two words show us 4 ways to view peace.

A state of wholeness or completeness meaning nothing is missing.  We fully possess everything needed.

A state of well-being encompassing vigorous health in both body and spirit.

Restoration which repairs flaws and returns us to our ideal, intended essence. We are made new.

In harmony These words speak of being joined in perfect union with God and with each other. 

We often wonder what God’s will is for us, and as I hear Jesus’ words “Go in peace” or “Peace be with you” combined with these 4 facets of peace, I believe that peace is what God wants most for our lives.

God sent his Son, our Savior Jesus, to be our peace.  And like the bleeding woman, we only need to reach out and touch him to receive his healing power and walk in his peace.  Through Jesus, the wholeness, the goodness, the restoration and the harmony of peace is ours. 

Breath flows through our bodies between 20,000-25,000 times a day.  We are aware of some of these breaths, but not all of them.  Air comes and goes throughout the day and night powering our bodies to function properly. 

Peace works in much the same way.  Whether we are aware or not, God’s peace moves in and around our lives powering our spirits to function properly.  If we quiet our spirits, we perceive the ways God’s wholeness and goodness influence our lives, restoring us to unity with God’s presence in our lives.

Go in peace.  It’s God’s blessing . . . God’s desire . . . God’s invitation . . . God’s will for each one of us.  He wants the very best for his children.  Let’s breathe it in!

Reaching in (allowing God’s word to work in the world):  Visit the scriptures referenced above to understand more of how Jesus spoke peace into the world.  Read Ephesians 2:14-18, an account of Christ, our peace.

Reaching out (taking God’s word into the world):  Become aware of God’s peace by intentionally slowing your breathing several times a day and repeating phrases such as God is my peace, God’s peace is working in me, Through Jesus I have peace.