Peace, Peace
As I drive around our city, I see lots of lights, lots of decorations, lots of anticipation for the Christmas holiday. (And yes, the decorations I see do relate to Christmas, not the more generic "holidays.") Today, I was struck today by a yard full of Santas, reindeers, snow decorations and such (one small nativity) with a huge display on the roof that said, "Peace."
Peace is a word we often hear associated with this season, but it struck me today how odd a word it was to find amidst all the trappings of the "secular" Christmas. It is a Christmas word; it is a Biblical word. It's a promise made by the angels to some lowly shepherds outside Bethlehem: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:14). We, of course, long for peace, especially in a world bereft of any hope of peace. International squabbles, ongoing war, horrible school shootings, political scandals and arguments...on and on it seems to go. In that context, the verse that comes most often to my mind is from the prophet Jeremiah: "'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace" (8:11).
We long for peace, and yet will we ever be able to find it from Santa, Frosty or Rudolph? Can we find peace in commercialism, in buying more stuff, or even in "holiday" parties and Christmas dinners? That's where we seem to put our trust. Can peace come from such sources?
The answer is no. We've tried to find peace in tangible things for all of human history, and we have yet to really find it, for peace is more than just the absence of war or conflict. Peace—or "shalom" as the Hebrews called it—is about well-being. It's about contentedness. It's about creating a world in which all is as God intends for it to be. Indeed, we cry, "peace, peace" when there is nothing like that to be found in our world.
Perhaps it's because we're looking in the wrong places. The reason "peace" is associated with this time of year is because we celebrate the birth of the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). We remember the one who came to bring peace between God and humanity through his death on the cross (Colossians 1:20). The only way we can truly find peace is through the work of the baby of Bethlehem as we open our lives to him.
This Christmas, when you see "signs" of peace—pray that more would come to know the Prince of Peace, for only when we know him will we truly find the peace we long for.
Shalom to you this Christmas!
Peace is a word we often hear associated with this season, but it struck me today how odd a word it was to find amidst all the trappings of the "secular" Christmas. It is a Christmas word; it is a Biblical word. It's a promise made by the angels to some lowly shepherds outside Bethlehem: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:14). We, of course, long for peace, especially in a world bereft of any hope of peace. International squabbles, ongoing war, horrible school shootings, political scandals and arguments...on and on it seems to go. In that context, the verse that comes most often to my mind is from the prophet Jeremiah: "'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace" (8:11).
We long for peace, and yet will we ever be able to find it from Santa, Frosty or Rudolph? Can we find peace in commercialism, in buying more stuff, or even in "holiday" parties and Christmas dinners? That's where we seem to put our trust. Can peace come from such sources?
The answer is no. We've tried to find peace in tangible things for all of human history, and we have yet to really find it, for peace is more than just the absence of war or conflict. Peace—or "shalom" as the Hebrews called it—is about well-being. It's about contentedness. It's about creating a world in which all is as God intends for it to be. Indeed, we cry, "peace, peace" when there is nothing like that to be found in our world.
Perhaps it's because we're looking in the wrong places. The reason "peace" is associated with this time of year is because we celebrate the birth of the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). We remember the one who came to bring peace between God and humanity through his death on the cross (Colossians 1:20). The only way we can truly find peace is through the work of the baby of Bethlehem as we open our lives to him.
This Christmas, when you see "signs" of peace—pray that more would come to know the Prince of Peace, for only when we know him will we truly find the peace we long for.
Shalom to you this Christmas!
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