Advent Week 2 - A Conversation About Peace

Let's celebrate Advent together! In addition to this week's episode, enjoy the following devotional and reflection questions.

Advent Peace
By Kristin Hines

This week’s Advent theme is peace. If your calendar is full of Christmas events, peace may seem like it’ll have to wait until after the holidays. If this time of year brings up hard memories and unfulfilled desires, peace may seem like a cruel joke. But the peace we’re talking about isn’t a restful day, or a moment of quiet, or a feeling of happiness. This peace is the kind that characterized Jesus’ whole life and is a gift that only He can give. It is peace with God that brings about the ability to have peace with others and even inner peace amid hard times.
 
On the first night of Jesus’ life, angels announced His birth (Luke 2:8-20). They said the Savior had come who would bring glory to God and peace to His people on earth. The reason we needed a Savior to come in the first place was because Adam and Eve (in Genesis 3) had long ago broken that peace. When they sinned against God, they broke their relationship with Him and ever since then we’ve needed a Savior to make the sacrifice that could bring us back into a right relationship with God.
 
On the last night of Jesus’ life, He spoke of peace to His disciples. Knowing He would be arrested soon and the coming days would be hard, He said in John 16:33: “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” He didn’t say His followers might have tribulation, but they will. If we are His followers, we should expect hard times. But we can still have peace in Jesus, because He is the Prince of Peace. Through His death on the cross, He made peace between us and the Father (Isaiah 53:5; Colossians 1:20). He has overcome the world, so whatever is thrown at us, we can have peace knowing He will make all things right in the end.
 
Recently I experienced this peace. I heard some hard news and was grieving a major loss with circumstances that seemed impossible to change. I’d been studying Philippians for months at that point. The Spirit immediately reminded me of Philippians 4:5b-7: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I didn’t understand how it was possible, but I quickly felt peace. The circumstances didn’t change. I was still grieving. But underneath that, I knew Jesus was close at hand and God was still in control. I knew He would take care of all of us touched by this situation and He would make everything right in the end.
 
If you need peace during this season, turn to Jesus. If you haven’t already, submit your life to Him and trust Him. If you have already done that, remind yourself that He is near to you, ready to receive your fears, griefs, concerns, and ready to give you peace you could never find on your own. “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
 
Reflection Questions
Read Ephesians 2:11-16 and Luke 2:9-20. What do you learn about peace?
Read Philippians 4:5b-7. How does the Lord being “at hand” calm your feelings of anxiety? Pray right now about what is bringing you anxiety.
What is true of God and His Word that can give you peace in the midst of chaos?

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