Zoomies

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. ~ John 14:27 (NLT)

We have a Siberian Husky dog named Denali. We rescued him at the Humane Society about three years ago. He’s been a great addition to the family, and provides a ton of entertainment – even when he’s sleeping, which is a lot of the time.

One of the most entertaining times for Denali is when he gets the zoomies. If you don’t know what those are, here’s my description. All of a sudden, Denali gets this wild look in his eyes. A small smile creeps across his face. He holds perfectly still for a second or two. Then, all of a sudden, he just starts racing back and forth through the house, often times while growling, howling, or talking (huskies don’t really bark, they talk). If we get into it by clapping or hollering back at him, he only goes faster and faster. There is a look of pure joy on his face. Finally, after a minute or two, he drops on the carpet, panting hard, but thoroughly happy. It’s in those moments that he doesn’t have a care in the world. He has joy and peace.

While we humans don’t get the zoomies too often (Though I’d love to see it happen!), we can still experience that joy, enthusiasm, and peace in life. Here’s the trick, though. That joy and peace won’t come from the things in this world. Sure, we may get some temporary buzz, pain relief, or have a nice vacation. But what I’m talking about is a joy and peace that don’t vary from moment to moment. They stick around. So, if the world can’t deliver on something like that, where does it come from?

Eternal peace and joy can only come from One who is eternal. It comes from Jesus. Our verse today, which is actually a quote from Jesus to His followers before He went up to Heaven following His resurrection captures this perfectly, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

When we invest in an eternal relationship with Jesus, the worries, stresses, and cares of the world tend to fade away. In their place, we experience the joy of knowing our God, of knowing His love. We have sustained peace, which doesn’t come and go depending on the situation. So, today, and every day, pursue the One who gives peace and joy.