TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!’”
Luke 2:13-14 ESV
PEACE IS THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS
A little boy and a little girl were singing their favorite Christmas carol in church the Sunday before Christmas. The boy concluded “Silent Night” with the words, “sleep in heavenly beans.” His sister elbowed him, and said, “No. Not beans, peas!” That’s the way many of us feel by the time we are ready for Christmas, the song might just as well end with beans or peas instead of peace. Because sometimes in the frantic rush to get everything done, the peace of the season seems to elude us.
The word “peace” comes from a word that means “to hold things together” or “to join.” The message of Christmas was Jesus was coming to join us together in a relationship with God. He was coming to help us “keep it together” while we are here on earth. Even when your world is crumbling around you Jesus can give you the strength to keep it together.
What is one word you could use to sum up this past year in your life? Could you use the word peace to describe it? For some of us, this Christmas is anything but peaceful. If you could go to the store and buy peace, how much would you be willing to pay for it? Can you think of one thing you could do this Christmas to make the season more peaceful in your life? Tell a close friend or family member what that one thing is and ask them to help keep you accountable.
