Advent 2023

Week 3 - Peace

It seems that worry, fear, and anxiety reach out to us around 6:30 each evening, through the Evening News, right around dinner time. 

• All those innocent people hurting, suffering, and dying!
• Children and babies in harm’s way
• Disasters, murders, bombs, and terrorism
• Wars and rumors of wars!

We hear all the bad news, and we get anxious and worry. 

A while later we go to bed and we toss and turn, late into the night.

We need comfort and some peace of mind.

In John Chapter 14,:26-27 - Jesus is comforting his disciples, preparing them for the future where he will no longer be with them physically.  He says,

“…the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

What an amazing offer from Jesus, this PEACE – the peace that passes all understanding available for the taking!  We each hold the key to that PEACE!  Yet, we often fail to use it!

Jesus is that Key.  He is with us, but we ignore Him or get busy and forget about Him!  Yet, he is always there – holding out the offer of PEACE!

I read two opinion pieces in the news this morning:

One was an angry commentary, centered on belittling and defaming someone whom the author detests. He used hate speech, as he blamed this person for much of the evil around the world.

The other article was a fact-filled critique of the atrocities and evils of war, the deaths of innocents, and the ways hatred drives these evils.  It asked for PEACE and a stop to the killing.

Both articles condemned the death and destruction, but one was so hateful that it terrified me with the hate it encouraged.

I hate war.  The death of innocents and the feeling of helplessness in the face of evil makes me physically ill.  But hate breeds hate!

         The hate-filled article left me deeply sad.

         The other left the door open for HOPE and PEACE!

To paraphrase Jeremiah 6:14 – “peace, peace, we cry, when there is no peace.”

Matthew 5:9 says – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

We must be these peacemakers if we want PEACE.  We must promote peace in thought, word, and deed.

And by promoting God’s peace we will receive the ultimate reward of being called sons of God as we reflect the image of our Savior, Christ Jesus.

Lord, hear our prayer

Please give us the courage to not only find your Peace, but to share it in thought, word, and deed.  Help us to be model witnesses for Christ, walking and talking in a way that shares your Peace that Passes all Understanding with the whole world.  We ask this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Howard

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