“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).

When Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, He was preparing them for a future where things would be uncertain and difficult. He was giving them a gift unlike any the world could give them: the gift of peace. Not the peace the world gives, which is temporary, but His own peace that can’t be lost or taken away—a peace that is complete and eternal.

The Hebrew word for “peace” in the Bible, shalom, means more than just feeling calm or quiet. It means wholeness or being complete. The shalom Jesus gives is completeness in every aspect of your life: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical.

That’s what Christmas is really about. When God sent His Son into the world, He was giving us shalom. Through Jesus, our broken relationship with God was restored. Christ came to bring peace to our hearts, peace in our homes, and peace between heaven and earth. 

The world’s peace is temporary, but the peace that Jesus gives remains, even when life feels messy or hard. This peace comes from knowing that God is in control so we don’t need to have troubled hearts or be afraid because He, Emmanuel, is with us.

This Advent, as we wait for Christmas Day, let’s remember that peace isn’t something we have to earn or create. It’s a gift, one that is freely given by the One who came to make us whole. Let’s pray that this gift will be received by all.