Skip to main content

The Gift of Peace





The hope of Christmas was meant to bring peace. 

Yet, “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” Matt. 2:3    

Imagine that!  

Herod realizes the prince of peace has been born, and he is troubled.  

It’s simple for us to look back and wonder what Herod was concerned about.  

It’s easy because we know Jesus’ kingdom was not earthly

and most, if not all, of us, have never been the king.  

When you’re the king, you worry about who wants your throne.  

This little bundle resting in a manger stole his peace.  

In fact, he was so bothered by the news that he stole peace from his subjects. 

 Unrest gushes down from Herod to those under him, and now they are troubled too.   

In Bethlehem, however, a baby slept peacefully.  

He was the fulfillment of peace the promise that brought peace.  

Herod had no peace but the baby in a manger, 

he not only knew peace, 

but he was also peace.  

At Christmas, it’s easy to leave behind our peace as Herod did.  

While not too many of us must protect our throne, other things steal our peace.  

It may be our finances and worry about HOW we will even buy gifts.  

If Christmas is about gifts; then we must have gifts, right?  

Or maybe we remember past Christmas’ that didn’t go so well, 

and Christmas must be perfect right?  

Perhaps you think of those who will be missing from your Christmas celebration; 

after all, it’s not Christmas if a family member is missing.  

All these things and more can steal our peace, 

and just like Herod unrest gushes in torrents on to those around us. 

Often, the things that we allow to wisp away our peace 

are things that may have little significance when we look back.  

This Christmas let’s take some time and open the gift of peace.  

Let’s remember that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus.  

If we make it about anything else, 

we will end up as troubled as Herod and we will end up making those around us

 as bothered as we are.  

If you have no peace, why not take a few minutes and get to know the Prince of Peace.  

Jesus never promised outward peace,  

but He is the only one who can bring peace to our troubled souls. 

That is a peace that goes beyond what we can comprehend. 

When we know him, making Christmas a celebration OF him is easy.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What’s That Smell?

To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. 2Corinthians 2:16 Last break!  The shift was almost over. Then the unthinkable happened, this man appeared out of nowhere wanting to know where the flashlights were kept.  As we were on our way to the flashlights, I noticed that this man had a very strong odor.  I thought perhaps I could get in front of him so that the smell would not be as strong.   That, however, was not to be either since; he insisted on keeping pace and walking right beside me. By the time we got to where the flashlights were; I was practically running just to keep ahead of him.  I showed him the flashlights and made a hasty exit.  If you’re like me, you shower and even put on perfume or cologne so that you will not stink.  We are concerned that the smell coming from our body is not offensive to others.  As I write this, I wonder if we are as concerned with our spiritual aroma as ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Grow Old Gracefully

I’d like to tell you about a lady I visited yesterday.   She is ninety-five years young.  She recently moved into nursing home.  She asked one of the workers how many times she would have to walk around the outside of the building in order to walk a mile.  She said the person told her about ten.   Then she leaned in really close and whispered, “I walked around twelve just to be sure I walked a mile.”  Hahahaha! What a lady!  She loves to keep active, even in a nursing home.  As we talked, I saw no anger or bitterness in her speech or actions. There was only a love for God, a heart of compassion, and a sense of humor. She has befriended the one "prickly pear" at the home because as she said, “I have to love her, so she knows Jesus loves her too.”  Wow!!! I need to live like that!  I want to show that much compassion for those around me that need Jesus.  She loved to talk about God and what he was teaching her. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thank You God For Turning Our Ashes into Beauty

There are tragedy and sadness in everyone's life, No one is exempt. Yet, in the midst of the hurt and pain, God is there. He takes the things that hurt us and make us sad and turns them into things are beautiful. The death of my mother  was a tragedy to my dad. However, because of that tragedy, my dad began to see his need for God. In his brokenness, he found a God that could make him whole.  God turned his ashes into beauty. My dad, in turn, taught me to love God.   I am blessed to know God as my savior because of my dad. God also blessed me with a lovely step-mom Life is harsh at times, and many things are sad,  Yet, if we let him, he will take our ashes and make them into a work of art.   He delights in making the ash heaps of our life beautiful.   When we are broken, God is near, and where there is sorrow, he will turn it into dancing.   Thank you, God, F...
Post a Comment
Read more