Courageous PeaceSample

DAY 1 - The Missing Peace

In 1888, on a freezing cold January morning in Switzerland, Alfred Nobel picked up his morning newspaper.

At the time, Alfred was known globally as the inventor of dynamite & one of the world’s leading weaponry manufacturers.

He read the headline:

“Today, Alfred Nobel has passed away”. 

Completely confused, he called the newspaper to report the error.

It turned out that a rushed, overly keen reporter had failed to check the names, and wrote the mistaken headline.

It was an unusual chance to see his life as others saw it, and Alfred was stunned to find out he was known as “The Merchant of Death” due to his business in war.

He was changed deeply by this experience, & he resolved to change his legacy. In the next weeks, he sold his business and arranged that his fortune would fund an award to be given to those who did the most for the cause of peace in the world. 

And so, today we remember Alfred Nobel not as an arms merchant, but as the founder of the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Peace is a puzzling thing.  

You might feel like you have it one day, or you might feel a world apart from it the next. 

You might be reading this today, and you have wrestled with finding true peace in a world of chaos — whether from a restless mind, or from living in a restless world. 

It could be the chaos of media headlines, social media, friends, family members, University, college or school. 

My hope is that through reading this plan, you will have a renewed and refreshed understanding of true peace. 

Alfred Nobel was a man once defined by chaos, but transformed to be known as a bringer of peace. 

He now has a legacy of giving the gift of peace. 

In John 14:27 [TPT] Jesus gives the disciples this profound revelation on peace: 

“I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!"

Peace is a gift. There’s nothing we can do to deserve it, but by God’s grace he gives us peace. 

Jesus doesn’t just give us the gift of peace, He personifies peace.  

God’s way to bring peace to our world isn’t by giving us a strategy, but by giving us the person of Jesus. Jesus is the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). 

I want to encourage you today to reflect on John 14:27 as we begin this devotional journey together. 

Questions:

(1) What areas in my life have I tried to find peace in, outside of Jesus? 

(2) How does viewing peace as a gift shape my understanding of peace?

Prayer:

Dear God. Thank you that you give us the gift of peace through Jesus. I pray that you would calm my restless mind and help me to fix my eyes on Jesus today. In Jesus Name. Amen.