God’s gift . . .
The Light of Peace in the Advent Season
Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind.
To cherish peace and goodwill, to be [overflowing] in mercy,
is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
(Calvin Coolidge)
Silent night, holy night . . . sounds wonderful, but it can be very hard to find even a silent moment this time of year, let alone a whole silent night . . . yet every one of us needs the calming peace that silence brings, especially at the end of a crazy day.
Peace . . . a condition of tranquility, serenity, calmness, quiet, or stillness . . . despite the circumstances surrounding you . . . The feelings of urgency, chaos, confusion, disarray, turmoil, madness are nowhere to be found in the understanding of peace.
So, how do we find peace in chaos and pandemonium? . . . it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work . . . it does means to be in the midst of these things and still be calm within your heart . . . still be calm within your heart . . . that is what we’re striving for.
Can we ever reach this ideal perfection of peace? . . . no . . . but that’s okay, as long as you are making an effort to find it . . . and trying to find quiet time with God too . . . just don’t give up . . . God will help . . . He is always there with you.
What is behind the most chaotic moments during the holidays for you?
Are you lost in the “noise,” struggling to focus and center on what should be priorities?
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 4:6-7
Christ is the source of quiet, calm, tranquility, and harmony in our world . . . Things may not always happen the way you or I want them to occur, but with trust in God and focusing on His Son, each of us can allow the “noise” around us to fade into the background . . . each of us can allow our hearts to warm within, and let our tensions relax with the quiet, calming tenderness of Christ’s love and the gift of peace He brings . . . the peace that magnifies the Light of Christ in our hearts.
INSIGHT . . .
Center your heart and mind on Jesus this holiday season.
Christmas is a time to recall that a new promise of PEACE arrives
with the birth of the Child.
Finding peace and serenity in life is a constant pursuit, sometimes a slow walk and other times a race with an impossible pace . . . there are so many ups and downs in life that neither you nor I can control, yet we still have to “live with them.”
Finding serenity and living in peace is an ongoing process . . . some thorn is always annoyingly poking at you, but the goal is learning to deal with it, so you can peacefully in the present and future . . . and so that you can find peace, hope, and joy in your relationship with God beyond the earthly world.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows.
But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Are you willing to focus on peace, to let go of the things that pull you away from Christ?
Are you ready and willing to open your eyes, ears, and heart and find out what God has and is preparing for you?
Peace at Christmas . . . it’s a deeper, spiritual peace that can reunite individuals with God and with each other . . . it wells up and fills our souls as we focus on Christ, find forgiveness in our hearts, and take time for relaxation and reflection in the middle of all the holiday stress . . . There is a way to find peace with each stumble and speed bump, so that you can wake up each morning with faith as a focus and a light shining from your eyes . . . Christ is that way!
INVITATION—TO TALK WITH GOD . . .
Finding the peace that we don’t fully understand, yet know we must seek, has to be discovered through Christ Jesus . . . and that illuminated understanding leads to a newfound life of peace and joy!
It does no good to constantly grumble and complain all the time, except to raise your blood pressure and make you and everyone around you miserable . . . Consider this . . . sometimes, in order to experience even a sliver of much needed peace and calm, you have to say “no” to something . . . or “stop” . . . or “wait” . . . or even harder, “I need help” . . . Do it in an honest, realistic, genuine way—not mean, or cross, or hurtful—but firmly let others (and especially yourself) understand that you need a break—need to hit the “pause button” . . . You need to take time with God, time in prayer, time to rest, time to pause . . . you need peace.
Hit “the pause button” for a few moments, close your eyes, and listen to the Holy Spirit whisper to your heart.
Where do you need to find peace in your life?
What can you let go of, say “no” to, or “stop”?
Where do you need to ask for help? . . . at home? . . . at work? . . . in your prayer time?
Remember to pray—talk to God . . . Find an index card, a journal, a scrap of paper . . . write down, doodle . . . fill it with your hopes and prayers . . . look at what you’ve put on that paper . . . How is your own heart speaking to you? . . . Listen and look carefully . . . God is listening!
Where is your life moving too fast this year?
Is it within your control?
If you can quiet the noise even a bit, ask God’s help to get you there.
If it is out of your control, ask for God’s strength to help you find peace in the moment.
Talk with the Lord . . . take a deep breath and slowly let it out . . . again and again, until you feel your shoulders relax a bit and the racing pace of your heart slow down.
Joyfully anticipate God’s gift of The Light and choose peace!
“The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace.”
Psalm 29:11
ILLUMINATION . . .
Seeing the Peace of the Season in the Light of Christ
Peace is the first thing that the angels sang about . . . “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth”
But how do we hold onto peace? . . . One practice that helps me is the “peace of watching and listening”—maybe it can help you too . . . peace isn’t just going to find you or me . . . we have to search for it, choose it, allow it into our lives.
The “peace of listening” means to take time to pause . . . eyes closed, slow down your breathing, then ears listening . . . hearing life gently move around you . . . owls, trains, gentle rain at night . . . the wind blowing . . . and the dog snoring . . . and quiet . . . just for a few moments . . . allow yourself to feel Christ sitting beside you and smiling at you . . . feel the peace surrounding your heart.
The “peace of watching” means eyes open and aware . . . watching a candle flame flicker, the wind rustling the leaves on a tree, the clouds moving across the sky, stars at night (even watching an airplane move across the sky at night can be calming, because you have slowed down to watch) . . . and then there are the Christmas tree lights--staring at them in the shadows of the evening . . . let God show you His presence . . . see the peace in creation.
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
Finding a time for peace, time to spend with God, and time to anticipate the coming of the Child is important . . . It is that relationship with God that allows you to experience a living God . . . and Christmas time is the perfect time to begin to enjoy and experience His peace.
God’s grace brought the Child of Peace into our world . . . take time to thank Him, and let the sense of His love, calm, and grace surround you during this season . . . and take comfort in knowing that the Child is coming and will come again . . . Remember, Christ brought peace and light into the darkness long ago, and continues to do so every day.
Anticipate God’s gift of Peace
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news,
who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things,
who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”
Isaiah 52:7
Seek & Cherish God’s gift of Peace
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”
Matthew 11:28-30
Rest in God’s gift of Peace
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him”
Psalm 37:7a
INSPIRATION—PRAYING THROUGH MUSIC . . .
I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, good-will to men!
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Song has been a part of worship since the beginning . . . People use song as an expression of highest emotion . . . It’s very fitting that we sing about the birth of Christ!
I encourage you to take time to listen to any or all the songs below . . . there is no right or wrong style of music—it is what speaks to you . . . listen to the melody and the lyrics and feel the response of your heart to what God wants you to hear . . . and I do understand that music doesn’t speak to everyone . . . and that is okay too.
♪♬♪ Current . . . I Need a Silent Night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHUD4chafMw&list=RDkHUD4chafMw&start_radio=1
♪♬♪ Traditional . . . Let There Be Peace on Earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yG7P1gNVjo&list=RD2yG7P1gNVjo&start_radio=1
INTO EACH DAY AHEAD . . . (finding peace in the season one day at a time)
I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
As we reflect on the message of peace that Christmas brings, it's clear that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is the ultimate source of comfort, unity, and harmony . . . Christmas is a time to celebrate this peace, to embrace it, and to share it with others . . . Whether through prayer, acts of kindness, or simply reflecting on the peaceful moments of Christ’s birth, this season is an opportunity to experience and spread His peace.
Choose peace over perfection . . . We can ask God what our focus needs to be during this season . . . As we walk with God and talk to Him, we receive His peace, share His peace with others, and release the rest of the drama . . . also remember to pace yourself . . . Refuse to buy into unrealistic expectations for yourself and your family . . . You can’t be three different places at the same time . . . and you have permission to say “no” to activities that will steal time and drain energy.
We are called to focus on the peace that God offers through the birth of Jesus Christ . . . At Christmas, we remember how Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came into the world to bring us a peace that surpasses all understanding . . . This peace isn’t dependent on our circumstances or the hustle and bustle of the season—it’s a gift from God, available to everyone.
When the angels announced Jesus's birth, their message was one of peace: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” . . . The birth of Christ brought peace for the past, brings peace for the future, and provides peace in the present . . . This peace isn't the absence of conflict, but a deep, abiding sense of calm and well-being that only God can provide . . . This Christmas, reflect on the peace that Christ brings—a peace that calms the heart and mind in ways that only God can.
I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story,
singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit,
we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world.
(Norman Vincent Peale)
"Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,
the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love"
2 John 1:3
Heavenly Father,
As we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace,
We pray for peace on earth, in our communities, and the world around us.
Let the peace of this season fill our hearts and homes,
and help us share Your peace, hope, and joy with others.
Help us all find peace in this season and find a silent night.—Amen.
♪♬♪ Peace & Prayer Time (Extra prayer/meditation music) . . . Silent Night with God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKv31UBeqHs
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