Day 29: Peace Be With You
Rebecca Nathan (John 20:19–23; Luke 24:36–43)
“That evening, the disciples gathered together, and because they were afraid of reprisals from the Jewish leaders, they had locked the doors. But suddenly Jesus appeared among them and said, “Peace to you!”
John 20:19 TPT
Think about this scripture for a moment. Jesus appeared to His disciples on the evening of the resurrection whilst the doors were locked because of the fear of the Jewish leaders. Their entire world had been turned upside down, trying to process what was happening and considering what lay ahead in the future. Perhaps they locked themselves in to figure out a plan, or maybe to see if they could go back and live their normal lives before they met with Jesus.
In the midst of their confused state, Jesus encounters His disciples in this way — they were all afraid. Jesus stood among them in the room, and His first words out of His mouth were, “Peace be with you.” His words were profound prayers of hope and assurance that He is with them no matter what. Isn’t this powerful!
I pray for the peace of God to flood the hearts and minds of the person reading this now, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
In Luke 24:37, the disciples were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. But after Jesus had shown them His wounds in His hands and feet, they were all filled with joy. Our Heavenly Father promises to give us peace that passes all understanding, to guard our hearts and minds in Him, so that we do not have to be anxious or worried about anything.
A couple of years ago, there was a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease over the whole world that impacted us negatively, causing loved ones to be separated and unable to meet in person. All we needed at that time was the help of God to once again begin to rebuild peace and our relationships with Him. Fear can cause us to hide from God when we are supposed to run to Him instead. Through these words, Jesus was praying that the disciples would find peace. As it was for the disciples, so therefore it is for us as well.
Looking at the scripture above, Jesus did not intend for the disciples to stay behind locked doors. God is calling us to come out of our hiding places and from behind locked doors, for His purposes for us are beyond those doors. His peace will empower us to fulfil those purposes for our lives and destiny. His peace will always calm our fears and cause us to move forward.
In conclusion, Jesus will do for you what He did for His disciples. His peace will give you the confidence to move forward. Let these words of Christ be a comfort and encouragement to you and all your generations. Amen.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise You as the Prince of Peace who overcomes the world. I ask You to give me all-round peace in my body, spirit, soul, and mind.
Father, make me an instrument of peace and remove from my heart whatever might stop me from having the peace of Christ. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray, Amen.
Challenge
Pray for peace among world leaders
Inner peace in your heart
Environmental peace