He left His peace

(John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.])

I see it, Lord; this is Jesus talking to me.  He gave me His own personal peace.  HIS!  He gave it to me.  It is mine.  It belongs to me.  Just like I own my couch, or my car or my house (with no mortgage or loan).  It's free and clear.  It's in my name.  He bequeathed it to me just like an inheritance.  If I got notice that I inherited - I'd go get it right away.  And I'd start using it immediately.  I don't have to work hard to get it.  I don't have to struggle to put it into use.  It's already mine.  All I have to do is USE IT!
I shouldn't put it into some religious closet and act like I don't have any way to use it.  I don't even have to ask you, God.  It's a 'done deal'.

What would I be saying if I recieved an inheritance?  I'd call my friends and say "I have a million dollars" or "I own a mansion" or even something small like "my Mom's diamond ring is mine".  I would claim it and speak as though I owned it even before I went to get it.

You tell me to do the same thing with this "peace" that Jesus gave me.  But even more than that you are reminding me that Jesus didn't give it to me the way the world gives peace.  Their idea of "peace" is just a lack of war; or it's a word they say for "hello" - and those aren't bad things; they just aren't as big and awesome as Jesus's peace.

His peace was beyond our comprehension.  After all the stuff He went through - NOTHING was able to steal His peace - not even the cross.

That's the kind of peace that belongs to me. 

You are telling me that I "allow" my heart to be bothered and I "permit" fear and anxiety into my heart.  But I only need to stop giving those things permission.

              "OK, heart, you are not to be troubled; I will trust in the Lord; I have His peace."

I said it.  So, what's happening?  Well. . . there seems to be a "kind-of" soft, gentle glow beginning in my heart.  It feels warm and "safe".  My mind says "but what about . . ."?  But, no, I'm choosing to go this direction.  I'm going to keep saying, "heart you are not to be troubled; I trust in the Lord; I have His peace."

I like this.  <sigh>