Peace is not the absence of troubles, but a steady, confident calm in the middle of it because of the One who is walking through it with us!

Picture a child & their parent - The parent is aware of the troubled circumstances, the child doesn't give it any thought.  They know as long as they are with their parent they are safe.  So the parent looks toward the child, smiles, and says 'take my hand.'  The child happily shrugs, and with a big grin grabs their parent's hand and off they go.  The child isn't focused on any trouble that may be nearby.  Instead, they simply "know" (trust) that because mom or dad's there they are safe. :)

"So if you know how to give your children good gifts, how much more so does your Father in heaven, who is perfect, know how to give great gifts to His children!" - Mt 7:11

"The LORD protects those of childlike faith" Ps 116:6

"Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him." Jer 17:7

"Those who trust the Lord will be joyful." -Proverbs 16:20, NLT

"The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,...And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Phil 4:5-7

"To the God who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we could ever ask or imagine..." - Eph 3:20

Jesus knew that His time on earth was quickly coming to an end.  In His remaining moments we see Him filled with compassion for His own. He knows that without Him we tend to wander and go astray "like sheep without shepherd", and so He chooses, with the breath He still has, to lovingly & tenderly turn towards His disciples and continue to teach & build into them.  And in these last moments, one of the things He really wants them to get, to know & to own is that "He came not to be served but to serve." 

I believe this is key:  Knowing who He was, and whose He was, was enough - it was everything He needed (nothing else could add anything of substance or significance for him - including human accolades since "He knew what man was made of...").

With that, in this specific instance, He once again displays the act of a humble servant, removing His outer garment and wrapping Himself in a towel, He begins to wash his disciples smelly, dirt-caked feet...and then tells them to live out their lives in this same way. (John 13:1-17)

I'm reminded of Philippians 2:1-11 (the mind-set of Jesus) and, also, Mark 9 where God describes greatness in His eyes:  it doesn't consist of seeing wonders or performing miracles or even fasting & praying (all important); instead, greatness is about two things - humility & service (which both stem from love). These are the heart of the kingdom of heaven.

Keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus who came to humbly serve, dying to self & asking God to mold, shape & transform my life to look more & more as He intended.

love journeying together :)