Week 2: Peace
Good morning! Our devotional writer for today is Sam Hinckley. Sam is a Senior majoring in Biology from Azle, TX. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Sam the past two years as a member of the Student Leadership Council, which he serves on as the President of the TCU Baptist Student Ministry (BSM). I quickly noticed and appreciated Sam’s ability to not only connect and form relationships with other Christian student leaders on the council, but to form equally strong relationships with student leaders from other faith traditions. It was clear to me that Sam’s intentions were to form those healthy and strong relationships with everyone for two reasons – first, because he understands that we can accomplish far more by working together than we ever can individually, and second, because he genuinely cares about everyone he meets and desires to be in relationship with them. In doing so he embodies Christianity at its best and demonstrates with his actions what it means to follow Jesus’ commandment to love God, love ourselves, and love our neighbor. He brings PEACE with him wherever he goes, and I think you’ll find he’s bringing it to you in his words for us today. Peace be with you, my friends…
Luke 2:8-14 English Standard Version (ESV)
8) And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9) And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Let us Reflect.
As we approach this time of year where we remember the coming of our Messiah, we all too often feel anything but peace. Holiday shopping, preparing for guests to come, dealing with insurance renewals, and for those of us in school… finals. Sometimes it seems as though we get so wrapped up in the holidays that we lose focus of why we even celebrate in the first place.
As we read the scripture today we read the first command given by the Angels: fear not. We need not fear because they were sharing the great news of the arrival of our Messiah. In the Old Testament, the Messiah was called the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6), and indeed Jesus came to bring us the ultimate peace: reconciliation with God. He came not with condemnation, but to seek and save the lost (John 3:17, Luke 19:10). Because of this, we can say: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased”.
So as we go about this advent season, let us take a moment to remember that Jesus came to bring us peace. Even when things seem hectic or chaotic, remember to inhale peace and exhale frustrations. The theologian Charles Spurgeon once said: “If you know the law of mental storms you may reach peace, and that law may be summed up in one line: Steer to God right away; fly to him, and you will find a peaceful shelter”.
Let us pray.
Gracious God, thank you for the wonderful gift of your son Jesus. Please help us have peace as we go about this advent season. Let us not be so distracted by the worries and frustrations that we don’t take time to stop and reflect on the peace that we have in you. Amen.
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