Why Jesus?…

In his own words (part 18)

The third clue Jesus gave to his disciples for experiencing his unique peace was simply to ask him for it. “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” he said in John 14:14. Can we ask him for peace and expect an answer, then? 

Well, so long as it’s asking in his name (verse 14) – which it would be, of course, because in verse 27 it was he who made the promise, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” So we’re only asking for something he already said he wanted his disciples to have. In which case, yes, we can expect an answer. 

Which is good to know, because I’ve got a request for four kinds of peace I’d like Jesus to give me. They are: peace in my relationship with God, peace in my own head, peace with other people, and the chance to contribute to world peace too. 

While thinking about those four it also struck me that maybe there’s a sequence to them as well – that, first of all, Jesus gives us peace with his Father, which nicely leads to our own heads then being at peace, which then leads to peaceful relationships with our fellow humans, which then becomes our little contribution to world peace too. 

All of which tie in with what Jesus wants for us. He wants us to know the first in the sequence, that his Father loves us and wants to make his home with us, verse 23. That’s an extraordinary promise for living in a world like ours, where so many awful things are happening to people that it’s hard to believe God loves us. No wonder, then, it has to be Jesus’ peace given to us, because there’s no peace with God otherwise. 

But once he gives us that peace, we’re well on the way to the second in the sequence, peace in our own heads, or as Jesus put it in John 15:11, “that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Knowing we’re loved brings joy, which is a wonderful peace of mind.    

Which leads to the third in the sequence, in verse 12, that we “love each other as I have loved you.” Knowing we’re loved and at peace within ourselves makes it so much easier to love others. So now we can experience what peace is like with other people too. To the fourth in the sequence next…(continues Monday)