Advent Week 2: Peace
ADVENT WEEK 2: PEACE
Luke 2:13-14 NIV: 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Ephesians 2:14a NIV: For he himself is our peace…
Matthew 14:27-32 NIV: 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
Psalm 31:22 NLT: In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.
In the Christmas story, peace came to earth not in the form of an absence of trouble, danger, or evil. Peace came to earth in the form of Jesus Himself.
Luke 2:18-19 NLT: 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
John 14:27 AMP: Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]
The Day I Found God (Jon Foreman, Switchfoot)
The morning comes like an enemy soldier, I feel the weight across my shoulders
I feel the shadows getting colder, But that ain't You
This noose ain't getting any looser, I get so fearful about the future
I hear the shame of my accuser, But that ain't You
And I found strength, but it wasn't what I thought
And I found peace in the places I forgot
And I found riches ain't the things that I had bought
Yeah, I found out the day I lost myself was the day that I found God
I get caught chasing my own illusions, And I get so lost in these confusions
I keep on looking for my own solutions, But that ain't You, That ain't You, no
And my enemies weren't the ones that I had fought
And my liberties weren't the freedoms I had sought
And what I learned weren't the lessons I'd been taught
Yeah, I found out The day I lost myself was the day that I found God
Where is God out in the darkness? 'Cause the voices in my head ain't talking honest
They're saying maybe You made us then forgot us, But that ain't You, That ain't You, no
And all I know is that I still don't know a lot
I don't know how it ends, I'm in the middle of this plot
Yeah, and I found grace for the man that I am not
Yeah, and I found out the day I lost myself was the day that I found God
