“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.”
John 14:27 (NAB)
The “Prince of Peace”, is one of many titles of Jesus, found in the scripture of Isaiah. He told us that His peace is not the kind of peace we find in the world, although, it’s hard to find any peace in the world these days. The peace Jesus gives us does not depend on the circumstances.
Jesus said that His peace is “not as the world gives.” He didn’t promise world peace or an end to killing and hatred. It’s an inner peace that we receive individually from Him, despite the circumstances that surround us. We pray for all people to have this peace, especially the families of victims of a tragic mass shootings, wars, and injustice. Jesus promised to be with us in whatever we go through. His peace is in our hearts, sustaining an inner calm that is beyond all human understanding. (Philippians 4:7)
I once heard a true story about a young female rookie pilot, who was taking off in a small plane in Pontiac, Michigan. It was her third solo flight, and after she took off, a veteran pilot noticed that her front landing gear fell off. He immediately got on the radio and calmly told her what just happened.
With a confident and calm voice, he guided her step by step to making a safe landing. She was shaken but followed his instructions as he guided her. She later said that his calm voice kept her at peace, which helped her focus on his instructions, as she safely landed her plane. If she had landed the plane on her own, it could have flipped upside down or burst into flames.
Being there at the right time to see what happened was a miracle, and the next miracle was that the veteran pilot became a calming voice of peace to her. He knew exactly what was needed to guide her to a safe landing, and he calmly talked her through it.
There is an unseen kingdom within all of us who believe, and it’s called the kingdom of heaven. Every kingdom has a Prince, and ours is Jesus. He is the veteran pilot who calmly speaks to our troubled souls, talking us through every crisis and sustaining us with His peace deep within.
It’s easy to forget that the Prince of Peace is dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit. He is with us whether we are standing in line at the Post office, grocery shopping, or visiting a terminally ill friend or relative in the hospital. We need to live in the knowledge that Jesus is truly with us and in us, in whatever is happening. Then we will hear His reassuring voice, telling us everything will be okay.
A few years ago I was meditating about Jesus, the Prince of peace, while on the way to visit a friend who was dying of Pancreatic cancer. She was newly widowed, never had children and was my friend for over fifty years. Her hospice nurse called to tell me that she had just lapsed into total unresponsiveness, and was no longer waking up. I hoped that she was at peace in her current state.
When I arrived at her room, I reached for the door handle and whispered quietly to myself, “Here comes the Prince of Peace.” I wanted Jesus to come in with me. As I walked over to where she was sleeping, I took hold of her hand, and she immediately opened her eyes, and turned to look at me. She couldn’t speak, but her eyes seemed to understand me.
I spoke briefly to her about the Prince of peace, and then prayed for her. Two days later she passed away, but I trust that His Presence was with her in that final moment. I often wondered if she saw someone else besides me at her bedside. Did she see Jesus, the Prince of peace, since I asked Him to come with me?
I have to believe that she did.
Jesus is the veteran pilot, whose calming voice speaks to our soul and quiets all the chaos and fears in our life. His voice can help a pilot to land a plane without landing gear. His Presence can speak to every dying soul who will listen, bringing them salvation and peace in their last breath.
We are all rookie pilots flying through this life. At times, it may feel like we are flying solo, but the Prince of Peace speaks into the radio of our soul, and with a calm and confident voice, He leads us to a safe landing. As we tune our ears to listen to His voice within, we can share His peace with others, while landing safely with Him for eternity.
Lord, you are truly our ever present help and our future hope. Tune up our souls to hear your calming voice and guide us safely in your peace, through all fear and chaos. Amen
