Advent Devotional 11

By Karen Biggs

Wow! Peace is mentioned 249 times in the Bible. Let’s look at it from two angles: 1) an out-in-the-world, relational peace and 2) an inner personal peace.

 

RELATIONAL PEACE:

 Jesus is the Prince of Peace who gave us a gospel of peace (Eph 6:15). No matter how crazy our circumstances, Jesus is the ultimate source of our peace, having overcome the world (John 16:33) — it is a powerful gift we can tap into. We are encouraged to focus on it, seek it, and let it rule in our hearts. We are even “called to peace” (Col 3:15) — a calling is what God wants us to be doing with our lives.  “Blessed are the peacemakers,” according to the beatitudes (Matt 5:9) — not just peace-lovers, but even more, peace-makers. Yes, it’s a gift from God, but there’s a participatory aspect. We are told to “seek peace and pursue it” (I Pet 3:11). This is an active, not passive peace. Think of ways you can reach across the aisle to bring peace into your sphere. For example, maybe it’s befriending a neighbor during the long winter, speaking kind words to those who oppose your political views, joining a neighborhood task force to solve a local challenge, attending an inter-faith gathering to foster understanding and friendship, or mentoring a child who needs a peace-modeling adult in their life.

 

INNER PEACE:

 Internally we all want peace to rule in our hearts. Anxiety and fear can hinder us from living fully. Peace can be elusive because it requires us to trust God. Life can get scary and sometimes it’s not easy to cast all our cares upon God and trust His future for us. We think we know how life should go, and we often trust in our limited, human rationale rather than God’s wisdom.  Isaiah 55:8-9 reads, “ 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.' ” Sometimes, we won’t understand what or why something is happening, and that’s just the reality of it. God’s perplexing ways are higher than ours.  Philippians 4:6-7 states, “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.”  I physically hold my hands out (as if cupping water) and place my burdens there; then, I lift my hands and give it to God, visualizing my burden floating to heaven into God’s care. He is King of the universe, faithful, Love incarnate, and His burden is light (Matt 11:30). He desires us to enter into His peace.

 

Peace Calling

By Karen Biggs

 

To the waters You called,

“Peace! Be still!”

Raging replaced with calm,

Fear long gone.

Jesus, bring it on.

 

May the Lord be gracious

And turn His face toward us,

Shine His glory upon us

With a covenant of peace

Our burdens we release.

 

By petition with thanksgiving 

Praising Jesus’ self-giving and forgiving,

Prayer rockets to the heavens beseeching

Ultimately Your peace eclipsing 

All analysis and understanding.

 

So let us trust You more

Fixing our minds on the holy Mentor

Who keeps us rest-assured

In His perfect peace so pure

Guiding us along a path secure.

 

May we live with each other

in harmony, and be holy,

Seeking peace and pursuing it wholly

So with wide-eyes we can see You,

Our Father faithful and true.

 

Let peace rule in our hearts 

Quenching life’s fiery darts,

For we are called to one accord

To cast our cares upon the Lord

Because we are evermore adored.

 

Peace is calling,

A gift enthralling.

Let not our hearts be dismayed

Nor our souls be afraid.

For God’s peace is His love-serenade.


St. John member Karen Biggs is a Stephen Minister.