LET IT BEGIN WITH ME!
Greetings church family!
I found this excerpt online this week.
The Personnel Journal reported this incredible statistic: since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than eight percent of recorded time! In its study, the periodical discovered that of 3530 years of recorded history, only 286 years saw peace, and over 8000 peace treaties were made and broken. (Moody Bible Institutes Today in The Word, June, 1988, p. 33).
On one hand, it’s hard to believe that only 8% of recorded history have been years of peace on Earth. On the other hand, considering humanity’s proclivity towards selfishness, greed, and power, it may be more surprising that that percentage isn’t lower.
Israel, just before Jesus’ birth, wasn’t at peace. For almost 600 years, they were under the rule of foreign empires. For 400 years they were without a ministering prophet. Their independence, gone. God’s voice, silent.
Amidst the silence, a heavenly announcement came to some shepherds in a field on the night Jesus was born.
“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:13-14 NLT)
Jesus was sent, not just to bring peace on Earth, but to BE Earth’s peace!
The 2nd week of Advent is upon us, and the theme of this week is peace. Our world today isn’t at peace. For some of us, our families aren’t at peace. Maybe our own hearts aren’t at peace within ourselves, or with God. Just like Israel, we need a Savior! We need the Prince of Peace!
I want to invite all of us to receive Jesus anew this Advent season as God’s ultimate gift of peace. And as the songwriter wrote, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me!”
Church family, where in your life is strife and bitterness and anxiety running rampant? Contemplate, meditate, and ruminate on this, and let God point you to Jesus as the gift of peace you so desperately need. And in Jesus, see the following Scripture promise of peace become a reality in your life.
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 NLT)
Remember, God is for you, God is with you, and God loves you!
Pastor Chris
