Advent: Week Two: Peace
In the calmness of the night, in a field not far from where the Savior of the world had just been born, a shepherd boy tends to his flock of sheep. By the light of the moon and the stars, he watches over them—the lowly shepherd boy. Faithfully, he goes about his tasks: caring, tending, protecting, providing. Unaware that the greatest gift this world has ever known has just been born. That the ultimate Shepherd has come on the scene.
Suddenly, in a burst of brilliance and glory, an angel appears, lighting up the night sky – the calm of twilight radically altered. The angel began to speak, “Don’t be afraid, I bring good news”. The best news, the news that will wholly and completely change the world. The news you’ve been waiting for. The Redeemer has come. The Savior. The Chosen One. The Lion of Judah. The Messiah is here. He has not come in a show of great power; rather, he has come humbly, lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling cloth.
As the angel gave this news to the unsuspecting shepherd boy, the meek beginnings of the mighty Messiah, a heavenly host suddenly emerges. Together, the angels begin lifting up a song of praise, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). As their voices rise, their praise filling the sky, the shepherd boy watches in awe, transfixed by the beauty of their worship. An unimaginable song, lifted to a magnificent God. When the angels leave, the shepherd boy hurries off to find the miracle in a manger.
With Jesus’ entrance into the world, a peace unlike any other became available. A peace that human understanding can only begin to fathom. Peace from God brings harmony both internally and externally; it fosters unity and reconciliation. This peace seeks to drive out the deep-rooted issues that cause so much division in our world and within our hearts. I know what you are thinking… Are you sure this peace is on earth? Have you seen the news lately? Have you seen the struggles in my own home, my own family? Yes, I’ve seen them, and I know this division in my own life as well; however, this peace is real and accessible, even in a world where it may seem distant.
When we go back to the chorus the angels sang, we read, “On earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”. We can not earn God’s favor, but God’s favor is already resting upon us. It’s not enough for God’s favor to be on us; we also have to accept His favor, accept Him. The Lord delights in you; He desires for you to have nothing but good things. But remember, we are living in the in-between. We are living in a broken and fallen world. A world that still needs Jesus. However, even in a world of disunity, we can still have peace. And I believe that peace starts in our own hearts. Peace begins with the individual and blooms outward.
While we wait for Jesus’ second coming, when He will take His throne and restore His creation, we can give Jesus a different throne: The throne of our heart. When Jesus sits as King of your heart, he brings peace into your fragmented world. As His peace flows over you, surrounds you, comforts you, gently holds you, you’ll begin to find harmony, unity, and restoration in your life. God will slowly knead the tension from your heart; He will deconstruct the walls and soothe the defenses you’ve built. He will offer you peace.
God’s perfect plan is to bring peace to the nations and peace to the individual, an all-encompassing peace. We aren’t there yet, though. We are still a sinful people, in waiting, in Advent. We will encounter other sinful people. We will encounter the Thief who desires nothing more than to steal and ruin every good thing God offers us. Peace doesn’t mean everything will be easy; that we won’t encounter hardships and trials. But it means we can approach the struggles of this world with a heavenly perspective. The chaos of the world can’t defeat us because Jesus has already defeated the world. For the King has come and He will come again. While Jesus does not sit on His earthly throne yet, one day He will. In the meantime, choose to set the King on the throne of your heart and allow His heavenly peace to cover you.
