We went to the mall last weekend. I drove around for a while looking for parking. There was a steady stream of people walking in the mall going from store to store. In the store, there was a long line to check out. After a while, I sat down on a chair in the main walkway to people watch. There were a lot of people who appeared overwhelmed. I researched and found that December is one of the most stressful times of year for people. There’s family obligations, work functions, kid plays, financial pressures and trying to meet expectations of others. In all the chaos of the mall, I couldn’t help but think how many of the people walking through there were missing the true reason for the season. Even if they had known, would they steel feel overwhelmed and stressed? Or would it help them to find peace in the chaos?
In Luke 2, the shepherds were watching their flocks by night. In the town of Bethlehem, there was the chaos of being overcrowded for the census, people trying to find enough food in the area for the increase of population and the stress of not having enough room for everyone. In the middle of the chaos, the sky lit up with an angel to announce the birth of Jesus. Then suddenly, a heavenly host of angels joined him singing. “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:15 NKJV) Jesus entered the world as the Prince of Peace and to bring goodwill towards people from God. The peace that the angels announced was just for Bethlehem or just for that night. It was a declaration that peace was our new reality through Jesus.
I love how Paul closed out his second letter to the church in Thessalonica. He wrote, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all” (3:16 NLT). You are entitled to have the Prince of Peace give you peace at all times and in all situations. Even though there is chaos in the world, and in this season, you can have peace because the Lord is with you. This isn’t a temporary peace or a superficial one. It is a deep peace rooted in His presence. It’s a perpetual peace that stays with you no matter what troubles you face in life. Glory to God in the highest for this peace that was brought to earth and given to us through His son Jesus.
Photo by Nereid Ndreu on Unsplash
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 