John 16:33 (NRSV)
Read John 16:33 on biblegateway.com
Verse 33I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!"
Devotion
Perhaps we don’t face persecution in the same way the folks in John’s day did, but I have known many people I would call courageous. They include spouses who accompany their loved ones through extended illness and treatment, parents who have had to make hard decisions when their young children have cancer, and seminary graduates who make themselves available to the whole church for their first call. To me, courage derives from each of us living in our various vocations, in our work and our families. As we do this, we are able to rest in the peace we have in knowing Jesus has conquered death. It is this peace that enables us to find the courage to awake each day, in joy and sorrow. May that peace and courage be real in our lives today.
Prayer
Risen Jesus, you conquered death and so we walk in courage, living in your peace, and bringing it to others. Amen.