Peace I Dey Leave with Una

When di angels sing over Bethlehem, dem sing about peace for earth. More than thirty years after, for di darkest night of im life, di baby wey dem sing about give dat peace away.

Na Passover time for Jerusalem, and Jesus dey share last supper with im disciples for one upstairs room. Lamps dey flicker for di walls. E don wash dia leg like servant. E don tell dem say one of dem go betray am, and say Peter go deny am. And e don tell dem say e dey go away, to one place wey dem no fit follow am go yet. Dia heart dey beat fast. Thomas ask, Lord, we no know where you dey go, how we go take know di way? Philip ask make e show dem di Father. Dem dey confused and fear dey catch dem. And Jesus continue to talk, gently, into dia fear.

Dis things I don talk to una, Jesus talk, as I still dey with una. But I no go leave una alone. Di Comforter, di Holy Spirit, wey di Father go send for my name, e go teach una all things, and e go make una remember everything wey I don talk to una. Think how dat promise mean plenty later. Many years after, when John and di oda ones write down di words of Jesus, dem remember. Di Spirit don keep im promise.

Then Jesus give dem something, almost like parent wey dey hand over one precious keepsake before long journey. Peace I dey leave with una, my own peace I dey give una: no be as di world dey give, na im I dey give una. For di language of Jesus, peace na shalom. Na di greeting wey people dey use every day, and di goodbye wey dem dey use every day. But Jesus mean much more than polite goodbye. Shalom mean say everything complete, everything dey as e suppose dey, heart wey dey rest with God. And dis peace na im own. My peace. Di same peace wey make am fit sleep inside boat when storm dey.

No be as di world dey give, Jesus talk. Di peace of di world depend on say things dey go well: no enemy, no trouble, nothing to fear. Di peace of Jesus no depend on dat one. For few hours, dem go arrest am for one garden. Im friends go run. By di next afternoon, e go dey for cross. And still e talk: make una heart no trouble, and make una no fear. Im peace no mean say storm no dey. Im peace mean say e dey with you inside di storm. Three days after, when e stand among dem again, as e don rise from di dead, im first word go be: peace dey with una.

Di world wey Jesus talk into get im own famous peace. Di emperor Augustus dey boast about Pax Romana, di peace of Rome, wey dem win by conquest. For di record wey e write about im own achievements, Augustus write say di Senate vote make dem build one Altar of Augustan Peace for Rome to honour di time wey e come back. Na soldiers and sword dey keep di peace of Rome. Jesus offer different kind.

Peace I Dey Leave with Una. You go find am for John chapter fourteen, verse twenty-five to twenty-seven. For Christmas we dey sing about peace for earth; here Jesus tell us wetin dat peace really be, and how to receive am. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Wetin dey trouble your heart now, and you fit hand am over to Jesus and receive im peace instead?