The theme of Advent’s second week is peace. Of the four advent themes, peace often seems the most fickle and challenging to experience. Human conflicts, large and small, are frequent. Violence is a way of life for many. But the peace of Christmas is far deeper than just the end of conflict.
The angels declared it that night outside of Bethlehem, “Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:13–14, NLT)
The Prophet Isaiah foretold, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NLT)
And yet, Jesus told us when talking about the end of time, “And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.” (Mark 13:7, NLT)
So, perhaps we’re looking for the peace of Christmas in the wrong places. This doesn’t mean that the angels and Isaiah were wrong, but that a deeper and more profound personal peace comes to pass through Christ’s advent (or coming to earth).
The first peace Jesus offers us is peace with God. Paul put it this way, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.” (Romans 5:8–10, NLT) That peace means everything.
Jesus is the prince of peace; we feel it in our hearts when we turn our lives over to Him. The larger question is what we do with it. How does peace with God affect our earthly conflicts and struggles? That’s a difficult question to answer. We know how it should affect us, but we may be embroiled in conflicts anyway. Sometimes, the best we can do is to maintain peace within ourselves through Christ while the world rages on.
I’ve witnessed this peace in myself and observed it in others. It is a real gift of Christ. Peace in the midst of war. Peace in the turmoil of broken relationships. Peace in the personal struggles with finances, health issues, and calamity. When everything is falling apart and failing, Christ is our peace.
Living in the midwestern United States, we experience a phenomenon that illustrates this peace. During the winter, we can get quiet snow—a snowstorm with little wind. The snow blankets everything with a few inches of fluffy white. Going outside on those days is peaceful. The deadness of the land is covered in white, and sounds are muffled. There’s something in me that connects peace with stillness and settledness. In my experience, the peace of Christ is like that. It stills my heart and quiets the loud voices and noises of life. Do you know what I mean?
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