“For a child
has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his
shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow
continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David
and his kingdom.”
- Isaiah 9:6-7a
In
a chaotic world, people search for peace, but more times than not they go
looking in the wrong places. They turn to charismatic leaders who vow to bring
peace, and they walk away disappointed when the results don’t match the promises.
They count on agreements, both public and under-the-table, to maintain peace,
and they’re discouraged when one false move renders those deals meaningless.
Ultimately, they place their hope in strength (or at least some semblance of
it), and desperately hope it will deter anybody from getting the wrong idea.
The
simple truth is that we’re bad at making peace. Constructing harmony where
there once was conflict doesn’t come naturally to us; any agreed-upon peace is
an improvised invention that never feels complete or secure. For example, when
you argue with a friend, the tension remains even after the apologies are
exchanged—are we really ok now? Is he going to hold a grudge? How does this
change things?
No
matter how hard we look for it or how much we work to achieve it, peace never
feels like something we’ve totally accomplished. Whether while watching the
international news or sitting at the family dinner table, we’re always waiting
for the next eruption of conflict.
So
it as especially at this time of the year that we thank our Lord for giving us peace
in the person of Jesus Christ. For in sending the Prince of Peace—first as an
infant in a land that was not his home, then as a teacher proclaiming the year
of the Lord’s favor, and ultimately as a Savior dying for our sins—God did not
merely begin a peace process or meet us halfway. Through Jesus, God gave us
what we could not make: peace between heaven and earth, Creator and creation,
God and man.
The
peace on earth that the angels sang about on the night of Jesus’ birth, the peace
that Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would bring to his people, is an undeserved
gift from a loving God. He offers reconciliation in spite of your disobedience,
a family in spite of your selfishness. Though all you have to offer is childlike
faith, God welcomes you home with the open arms of a Father. The peace that
passes all understanding comes not from anything you make, but entirely from
what He gives.
May
that peace guide you, especially in this season of Advent. Instead of insisting
on the last word, offer the grace of listening to those you disagree with. Instead
of lashing out when you feel wronged, offer the grace of forgiveness and
self-control. Instead of giving in to anger and bitterness, look to the grace
and mercy of Jesus Christ, who brought peace not with a sword, but a cross. Real
peace is not something made by man, but something given by God—may you receive
it and share it with a world looking for peace in all the wrong places.
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