For Kids:
There’s a
lot of things we have to do each day.
Get up from
our sleep,
Get
dressed,
Eat
Breakfast,
Get ready
for School,
Listen to
the teacher, play with friends, eat our lunch, and after it’s all done, go back
home.
There’s
time to play,
Then we eat
our supper…
And
eventually we have to get ready for bed and go to sleep!
And then we
do it all over again the next day.
Sometimes
there’s a vacation - like right now - and we get more time to play, to have fun and
not have to do work at school.
Our parents
are good at helping us know what time it is and what we need to do next – even
when we don’t want to move on to the next thing.
God is also
good at helping us know what time it is, and what is next.
He doesn’t
shout at us, or yell, or even scream…he does it peacefully, quietly. He wants us to understand that he does it,
most of all, for us.
Christmas
can be quite busy and there’s lots of things going on at once…but let us not
forget what God wants you to know – that he sent His son into the world simply
because He loves you!
He does not
love you just when you’re good and doing the right things.
He loves
you at all times, and wants you to know that when you trust in Him, he will
show you how to live in His love…which means you can RELAX.
Remember
this song Junior sings?
This is
very near the time we celebrate Jesus’ birthday, so let’s take some time today
to say “thank you” Jesus for coming, and for loving me.
For Parents and Other Not Kids:
It's Christmas Eve today. One of my favorite hymns is "Silent Night". The words stay in our memories because they have been said over and over for countless years.
Silent Night, Holy Night
All is calm, all is bright.
Round Yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Christmas
cards come to us and a typical theme is "peace on earth".
Peace...it's a wonderful idea, and one we desperately long for, and need...on so many different levels. It seems
like peace evades so many people.
The
headlines each day remind us that the world is not at peace...
We see it
every day that there are lots of individuals who live without peace...
I love
peace. I love the quiet calm that comes
when all things are right.
How do we get
there? How do we get this "Heavenly peace"?
The prophet
Isaiah, some 700 years before Jesus' coming, proclaimed in Isaiah 9:6-7,
"6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to
us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace..."
A Child is born...wonderful, mighty, eternal, Peace...
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace..."
A Child is born...wonderful, mighty, eternal, Peace...
In Jesus we have the prince of peace – the one whose life brings a settled
faith as the ultimate ruler and judge, and who is full of life and peace
for those who are willing to cling to him.
God’s peace
flows freely from his own internal qualities:
Love, goodness, mercy and grace.
God does
not “give peace” as much as he “is peace”.
In his presence is quiet rest, the ability to have confidence and trust
– just because of who he is.
When we
started Advent in Luke 1, the Advent story began with Zechariah, a priest, who
was visited by the angel. He told him
that a son would come, and the birth of John the Baptist would be the
"forerunner" of Jesus. Later,
when John is born, his father exclaims…
Luke 1:76-79
76 “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
76 “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
John's life
serves as a model for life in Christ for us.
We have the privilege of
sharing the good news of Jesus.
We can share
with others the knowledge of salvation, and the way of the forgiveness of their
sins, because God is tender in his mercies.
The words the prophet uses, “darkness”, "Shadow of death" are more real than we
imagine as people struggle with a sense of security about death and life.
There is often an absence of peace.
People are often
desperate for inward peace and they're searching for something, anything that will settle the inward storm.
There is only one thing that brings real peace - Jesus.
When the
angels come to announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds they proclaim in Luke
2:14
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
God is
pleased to grant to us peace, when we put our life securely in His will and
trust in Him completely for our lives. Let's
receive it with faith and trust in the one who is real peace.
Peace
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