Thursday, December 20, 2012

Christmas Peace


If you've read "These My Christmas Dreams" you'll recognize this, but I felt it was so appropriate this year, so I'm putting it in the blog - hope you don't mind the reprint.




Was there peace in Bethlehem 2000 years ago?
When the Christ, the holy Son of God, was born – did stillness flow?

Were the streets of Bethlehem peaceful and serene,
with quiet steps and whispered words -
a special Christmas scene?

People will tell you there was no peace in the city there -
with soldiers marching,
merchants selling,
beggars pleading,
voices yelling – no peace found anywhere.

But deep in my heart, I picture instead
peace for the Child
in his rough manger bed.

I believe that 

In the stable God harbored our Savior with peace.
He protected and watched Him that night

In the sheepfold, He proclaimed to the shepherds his peace,
As Bethlehem’s sky burned with light

In her heart, I believe, God gave Mary his peace,
though trials surrounded Christ’s birth

And I believe that He came to bless us with the peace
that transcends what we see here on earth.


Our world sounds a little like the town of Bethlehem when Christ was born, with soldiers marching, merchants selling, beggars pleading, voices yelling – no peace found anywhere.  We have politics and wars and unrest in the world.  Considering the way the world celebrates the Christmas season our lives get busier and busier.  We shop and cook and entertain, we plan and worry about the cost and then we sometimes wonder where the peace can be in all of this.

Do you think that possibly we’re looking in the wrong places?  Do you think that possibly we’re expecting the wrong type of peace?  Christ talked of HIS peace.

He said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you, I do not give you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27

It would sometimes be so nice to shut out the world, to be unable to hear the clamor and the noise.  Sometimes we can do that for a time, but the world continues to intrude.  Where can we go to get away from the feelings of unrest – only to God. 

As I sit by my woodstove on a cold, wintry night I see snow covering the windows.  The wind is howling and whipping the trees.  It rattles the fire, and sparks fly up in the stove.  All around me a white blizzard whirls, just like the snow globe you had as a child.  But with this blizzard comes a small picture of the peace Christ gives.  I’m warm and comfortable in front of my stove.  It warms my bones.  It warms my heart.  It’s beautiful to see and it continues in spite of the wild world outside.  God’s peace is a peace in the midst of the storm.  It’s not dependent on what’s going on outside my heart. 

In Luke 24, the writer tells us about the time when Jesus was sleeping in the boat when the storm came up.  The disciples were frightened – they thought they were going to drown.  They woke him and He calmed the storm. God was in charge of the storm.  He’s in charge of the storms in your life, too.  Go to Him.  Ask his help.  He’ll calm your heart if you accept his peace. 

 “ I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble, but take heart!  I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

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