Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent. This week’s theme is PEACE. Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent. Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or hang wreaths. All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
They were living their lives like it was an ordinary day when this happened!
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ’Do not be afraid I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’
Luke 2:9-14
That day, the shepherds experienced a day that was no ordinary day! The angel had just announced the birth of Christ the Lord and gave them a sign in telling them the way they would find Him. The shepherds were the first to be invited to come and see the Son of God in person! What an invitation! And can’t you visualize the host of angels that appeared and praised God? The angels first spoke of glorifying God and then, “…on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
God grants peace through His Son, Jesus. How?
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Colossians 1:19-20
God gives peace to those who are reconciled through His Son. Thank You, Jesus! And the lowly shepherds received the first invitation to come and behold in the flesh this “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). (Don’t you love that? I do!) For it is not about status, income, background, position, education, race, gender, or fame that matters to Jesus! It is about the heart. It is about those who ask for forgiveness of sins—believing that Jesus died for our sins in our place and that we trust in Him as Lord and are reconciled to God through His Son on the Cross.
God can bring peace to the shepherds or kings, who came later (and all those various people types in between) in the same way: through Jesus!
If you have not come already, are you ready to receive the peace Jesus brings? Come to Jesus. He’s no longer in a manger, but He is waiting. And if you’ve already come to Him, simply praise and glorify God this Christmas season and everyday afterwards for Who He is and all He has done, is doing, and will do. Let us celebrate the peace Jesus brings!
Friends, let’s be ready.
For one day, you will be living your life like it’s an ordinary day and then, you will either leave this world and stand before God or else Jesus will return in victory and with great power and you will see Him face to face then. Either way, you will meet Him.
Receive the peace Jesus brings.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for the peace that You bring! The day You became Lord and Savior in each of our lives was no ordinary day! Let us remember to praise You each and every day forevermore! You alone are so worthy to be praised!
In Jesus’ precious Name I pray.
Amen.
