This week I am giving you four key words for Christmas … hope, peace, joy, and love.
Yesterday’s word was hope. Today consider that the message to the shepherds in Luke 2:13-14 was about peace:
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
Jesus came so that you might have peace. Hope and peace work together. You hope that good things will happen, but while you are waiting, the peace of God can reign in you, because you can trust God that everything will be okay.
Sometimes the issue of control can interfere with our peace. The ability to exercise control is an important human characteristic, but there is an unhealthy extreme at which others begin to think of us as controlling. When things don’t go as we desire, there is a delicate balance by which we must decide whether to try harder or to trust God for outcomes beyond our reach. If trying harder results in a loss of peace, then we must surrender control and our dependence on it and instead exercise trust.
The famous author, Catherine Marshall, told a story about her friend Marge, who was “aboard a plane bound for Cleveland, waiting for takeoff. As she settled into her seat, Marge noticed a strange phenomenon. On one side of the airplane a sunset suffused the entire sky with glorious color. But out of the window next to her, all Marge could see was a sky dark and threatening, with no sign of the sunset.
“As the plane’s engines began to roar, a gentle Voice spoke within her. ‘You have noticed the windows,’ God whispered beneath the roar and thrust of the takeoff. ‘Your life, too, will contain some happy, beautiful times, but also some dark shadows. Here’s a lesson I want to teach you to save you much heartache and allow you to abide in Me with continual peace and joy. You see, it doesn’t matter which window you look through; this plane is still going to Cleveland. So it is in your life. You have a choice. You can dwell on the gloomy picture. Or you can focus on the bright things and leave the dark, ominous situations to Me. I alone can handle them anyway.’”
In the words of Jesus, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
God’s gift of his son at Christmas reminds us that he wasn’t going to try to convince us from afar that when we arrive at the end, we will finally find peace.
He came as the baby Jesus, born in a manger. He didn’t send us a map, he sent us a trail guide!
He came to accompany us home, so that we might have peace now, and every moment along the way!
Merry Christmas!
Chaplain Mark
A comforting way to start the day. Thank you Mark.