Amy and “Peace I Leave With You”

Peace I Leave With You

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

Today I am praying with you and for you in the Peace Chapel of the Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore. I am reflecting on the peace of God and God's call on us repeatedly in Scripture to be at peace, to be peace-makers, and to receive the peace that Jesus extends us.

Last Sunday in worship the Church heard the story of Peter being called into account by the apostles and believers for sitting at table and eating with Gentiles in the Book of Acts. (You can read it here)

The Book of Acts tells the story of the organizing and messy formation process of the followers of Jesus into the early church. There are many disagreements about how to be faithful in the wake of the trauma of Jesus' death and the bewildering resurrection appearances among them. Peter's vision inspired by the Holy Spirit stirred him to do something seemingly against the teaching of Scripture, their rituals, and religious practices as they understood it at the time - eating unclean foods with those who were not keeping their faith and traditions.

Sometimes the peace of God looks like no peace at all. Sometimes the peace of God involves the agitation of the Holy Spirit. I wonder about your own experience of the peace of God. Was it what you expected?