One of the greatest benefits of a journey, whether on foot, car, ship, or by air, is the sense of peace it affords. Usually, a journey or voyage is undertaken as part of a holiday, and part of the pleasure is the journey itself. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or fancy or even expensive, for example a long quiet walk in the countryside. Peace is hard to come by when we are engrossed in our everyday lives of work and responsibilities which can be a burden.
However at Christmas, we tend to set our pressures aside and enjoy the journey through the month of Advent right up to the Holy day of Christ’s incarnation, and that same Spirit will even linger for some days afterwards, as we finish off the leftovers of our big Christmas dinner.
I watch the news, as you do too, and there is little evidence of peace in our world today. There are many, far too many, wars, famines, and terrorist attacks that we can ask ourselves, where is this peace of the Christmas Child? The scenes we see on the manger are so quiet, happy and peaceful that we can be forgiven for missing the tragedy of the world outside that little stable scene. Because even in His birth there were tragedies and much slaughter of innocents. So I find myself asking, where is this peace that was promised, and then I remember it is IN the baby, not around the Christmas season, or even the pursuit of a peace treaty. We can only see and know real peace when we, and the world, see who the bringer of peace is. I believe if we all believed in the Baby who became our resurrected Saviour, there would be no war. The absence of war, ultimately brings peace as these verses clearly show:
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 Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27
Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11
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