Anticipating Christ: Peace

Back to the writing board we go! Four o'clock in the afternoon seemed as good a time as any to begin writing today's post. I made a cup of the hottest of chocolates and am now prepared to write. If you haven't tried the Swiss Miss with some milk, well it's quite the game changer! Let's begin, shall we?

Peace (n) - a state of tranquility; harmony in personal relations; a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those in a state of enmity

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Peace is one of those words I throw around rather nonchalantly in my prayer life. It usually comes in the form of "I'll pray for peace for you" or "I'm praying for peace over this issue." It might not be in so many words, but it comes out in that general form. Do I ever really know what I'm saying? I don't think so. 

Peace in those instances is really contentment. It is praying for contentment in God's plans. But peace is for a much larger scale. It's the larger scale of the metanarrative where sinners are apart from their God; sheep lost from their Shephard; ones needing to be saved by their Savior. And in the gap of that metanarrative, where there seems to be no hope, we are given peace- We are given Jesus. 

It's the reason we sing "O Come O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel."

It's the reason we sing "God and sinners reconciled."

It's the reason we sing "Let earth receive her King!"

The reason I sing is because peace has come to earth. 

The problem of fallen man apart from His God has been solved by the sending of Jesus Christ to take away the sin of man and reconcile him to his God. And in that we rejoice in peace. We rejoice that our God loved us and did not leave us hopeless and helpless. We rejoice that He loved us so much that He gave us His Son. He did not spare His own Son, so how will He not give us all things. (Romans 8:32). We rejoice that we are given the righteousness of Christ not by our own merit but by His. 

This is peace. This is the reason we celebrate Advent. 

When the worries of life trace every muscle of our heart, rest in the quiet peace of a God who is greater than the worry. The God who has given peace; the greatest peace we've ever needed. 

I often think about my seminary days and the mounting reading assignments, papers, exams - it never seemed to end. I would maintain sanity by simply saying to myself - "This will not kill me." Your worries too, will not kill you. The Author of Life is just that; He authors life. When it all seems to be falling apart at the seams, know and trust that He is in control. He has solved your greatest problem. He will take care of the small ones too. 

He has come to give peace. And in that peace, we have hope!

PS- Amelia hasn't been able to post her Advent blog yet. She's not been feeling well. As soon as she does, I'll link it up because I know it will be good! You will not want to miss it!