THE PRINCE OF PEACE
For to us a child is born,
To us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Christmas can be the best time of the year, but it can also be the most difficult. Sorrow and loss seems to get magnified. Expectations are raised high and reality rarely lives up to them. It is important, midst all of the frustrations and turmoil and selfishness of this world, to remember that our biggest need was met by the child born in poverty in Bethlehem long ago. Christ came with one purpose…..to die. There was to be no peace between God and man unless ours sins were dealt with. Since we were helpless to make ourselves good, as anyone who has ever really tried knows, there was not much hope….until Bethlehem and Golgotha. Only a sinless man who did not need to die could be an effective sacrifice………what love
How grateful I am for the peace that only Jesus can give. It is not dependent on circumstances. It is not dependent on problems being solved. It is dependent on my remaining dependent on Him. Circumstances and problems will rob me of peace when they become my focus. The turmoil and chaos of the world will destroy if it is not viewed through the filter of Christ. Only when I am abiding in Him am I able to see a bigger picture. He is the ultimate answer to every dilemma. As long as I am alive on this earth, there will be sorrow and loss….but He truly has overcome the world. The key is, as He tells us, to “look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen” (2 Cor 4:18) As I begin to understand better who God is, He grows larger and the “passing away” things of this world grow smaller and smaller and smaller…..and less able to harm.
