You know that feeling you get in the midst of a conversation, when someone is talking and it triggers something amazing you really want to contribute to what’s being said? But one person to the next, the conversation moves forward, and you’re struggling to find a place to insert your audible “foot in the door”. Finally, as you sense your window of opportunity passing, you take a deep breath, allow yourself to “let go” of the need to say something, and experience a moment of peace.
That’s nothing.
This peace we talk about during Advent, is the peace of the world. Peace for a creation that is waiting and groaning for what God has in store. We’ve experienced this peace in our own lives as well.
Peace that came to me as a teenage boy, working late one night at a campground. Surrounded by the animals I was caring for, smelling the straw and the dung. I was feeling the frustrations of life, all the angst of being a teenage boy full of unknowns, multiplied by a difficult family background that made me wonder what would become of life. I was reminded of a baby boy who was God, born into a similar scene, and the promise that boy gave to always be with me.
Peace that came to my wife and I, in the midst of our 3rd child waiting in the womb. The doctors had found something that caused alarm in a recent ultrasound. They explained calmly how this could really be nothing at all. Or it could be something terrible. We spent time and tears in prayer, offering our worries to God, and asking that He would give us peace. Ruby continues to be a reminder of God’s ability to bring peace in the unknown moments.
Peace that we rely on even now, waiting for concrete news on bringing home our daughter from Africa. There are horrible living conditions in the DRC, in the midst of peace talks between their soldiers and rebels in the East. We’re trying to raise funds in the midst of a season where most people we know have already stretched their budgets tight to provide Christmas for their families. There are others “ahead of us” in waiting for a referral (where we would be matched with our daughter). But one step at a time, requirements are being met that will lead to us rescuing our daughter. We are being reminded of the peace He offers even now.
It’s not a peace that declares “Everything will go well from now on.” After all, it wasn’t long after the arrival of Jesus that Herod ordered the horrible slaughter of babies across the land. In this we are reminded that peace is so much more than “things going well”, or a quiet starry scene with someone singing “Silent Night” in the background.
Peace, is the presence of God in our midst. Immanuel. In our joy. In our worries. In our suffering. We have a peace that passes understanding. We will have it still tomorrow. Breathe deep…and be thankful…
words from wick 
Oh, Wick, how I pray that our Pappa God opens doors for your daughter to return from the DRC. Yes, the peace our King brings is the kind that our finite mind cannot understand. I suffer from Fibro/CFS and experience His peace even through terrible pain and exhaustion. I am so grateful for His grace, peace and love sustaining me moment to moment. Thanks for a thoughtful post.
Hugs XX
Mia
Thanks for sharing, and joining us in prayer, Mia! May His reign continue to be revealed….:)
Excellent thought. You really do write very clearly.
I am reluctant to mention this, because it is simple a grammar thing. However,
Peace that came to my wife and I
should be my wife and me
If the sentence did not include your wife, then it would read. “Peace that came to me”. I know, everybody seems to be using “I” incorrectly, but that just makes “everybody” wrong.
If you are doing the action. then use “I”. If the action is being done to you, then use “me”.
I said it. It was said to me.
Anyhow, well done, young man! I am eagerly anticipating the next installment!! bob
Haha……fixin’ my grammars is an undertakin’ you may not wannt open up at this point. I’ll definitely remember to shoot you a copy of anything I wanna publish beyond a blog post though, for sure. Good to know. 😉 Thanks for reading, brother….
How often do we see peace as just absence of trouble in our lives. But peace is a person, God in the flesh. Thanks for this reminder, especially in the midst of this often crazy time of year.
Reminding myself as well. 🙂 Thanks Christina!!!