August 9
The Unfailing
Assurance
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Daily Steps
As the devotional series draws to a close, this verse provides the ultimate, defining characteristic of Christian peace and the final command for the new believer. Jesus speaks directly, providing both the gift and the assurance: my peace I give you.
The peace in this assurance is found in Christ's final gift and its nature:
The Gift of Christ's Peace: Jesus declares, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." This is a deliberate, final inheritance. It is not a manufactured feeling or a temporary absence of conflict; it is the very peace Christ experienced in the face of suffering, the grave, and the certain knowledge of His future.
The Superior Nature of the Gift: Christ contrasts His gift with the world's standard: "I do not give to you as the world gives." The world's peace is conditional (based on favorable circumstances, Day 190) and temporary (Day 204). Christ's peace is unfailing because it is based on His finished work (Day 208) and secured by His Sovereignty (Day 219).
The Final Command: Because of the nature of this superior gift, the command is absolute: "Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." This is an act of the will—a daily decision to trust Christ's unfailing gift over the chaotic circumstances of the world.
Your final peace is secured by Christ's gift. Rest in the certainty that my peace I give you is an unfailing assurance that transcends all worldly conditions. Accept the gift and choose not to be afraid.
Reflective Question
In what area of your life are you currently seeking peace from the world (e.g., control, money, relationships) instead of relying on Christ's peace? How can you obey the command today to not let your heart be troubled by consciously accepting and activating Christ's superior gift?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the final, wonderful gift of Your Son: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I confess my failures to trust this superior gift. I pray for the strength to reject the world's conditional peace and to obey the command to not let my heart be troubled and not be afraid.
Secure my final peace today in the unfailing assurance of Christ's perfect, complete work. Amen.
