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 ESV

The song Silent Night was composed by Franz Gruber n 1818 to lyrics written by Joseph Mohr. A line in the song says, “sleep in heavenly peace”.  In our scripture passage today, Jesus is saying that He leaves His peace with us.

In this past year we have suffered the pandemic and all the changes it has brought into our lives. It has claimed the lives of friends and loved ones. We have seen protests by various groups. The southeast has seen one hurricane after another come through. The west saw massive wildfires. It might cause us to wonder how we could possibly be peaceful at a time like this.

In the song, Silent Night, we envision baby Jesus lying in that manger sleeping quietly and peacefully without a care in the world. But, we know that He had the world upon His tiny little shoulders. Throughout the Bible we saw Jesus as a man of peace. Many times his enemies tried to trap Him with trick questions, but He always responded in a calm, peaceful manner. His peace, unlike the world’s peace, cannot be shaken. It cannot be removed due to our circumstances.

My prayer for you today is that you have heavenly peace. In Philippians 4:7 we are told that the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. If you feel that you are not at peace or you are lacking peace, turn to God. He will give you a peace that at times you may not even understand. He will guard your hearts and your minds against the turmoil that swirls all around us in this messed up world.

He will walk with you through the fire and the flood and will not let you be harmed. This time of year, there are all kinds of worries from financial woes to getting just the right gift for that special person or people in your life. There is trying to keep all of your commitments for get togethers with co-workers, family, and friends. We are busy trying to cook those special dishes that we only cook during the holidays.

In the midst of all the festivities, we also experience sadness due to the loss of loved ones. We have only memories of Christmases spent with those that are no longer with us. Some are spending time in hospitals with those that they love. Some are lonely due to broken relationships. But, whatever your circumstances, Jesus is there for you. He will walk with you and help you to have peace. The peace that He gives is one that is solid. It is one that will make others take notice and want what you have. This will give you an opportunity to share with them what God has done for you.

If you want that peace that passes all understanding, that heavenly peace, you must know that there is only one way to get it. You must surrender to Christ. You must give it all over to Him and trust in Him. You must obey Him and do what He has commanded us to do.

If you are not at peace this holiday season, look at your life. Have you surrendered to Christ? Have you given Him a small part of you, but been afraid to turn it all over? When we give it all over to Christ, we get so much back in return. But, nothing is better than the peace that He brings to our lives.

I pray that you have a peaceful and joyous holiday season.

Have a great day!