Peace On Earth & Mercy Mild – God And Sinners Reconciled … Well, this is a long heading for Weekend Musings—but hang in there with me because it’s all about peace, no peace, how to find peace and why Christmas is the perfect time to embrace peace in so many ways. My hope is that you find peace in this devotion for your Christmas time and share it with others who are seeking for peace. OK, here goes…

“Peace on Earth” is a phrase you see everywhere around Christmas-time. For many of us, we have to wonder where that peace is. Whether we’re trying to find peace in the chaos of our own lives or trying to wrap our heads around our peace-less society and a far from perfect world, we have to admit: “peace on earth” is elusive—almost a pipe-dream. And that is where Jesus came in to change our problem with the loss of peace. In our own lives, we struggle to find peace with ourselves and peace in our relationships with others. We regret past mistakes and worry about the future. What we need is Shalom—the peace of God and only God can give this to us. Question is, will we take it?

Let’s look into seeing what Jesus accomplished for a solution for peace:

  • He taught people to love each other as they love themselves—not a self-serving kind of love, but a self-respect kind of love.
  • Jesus himself served to make peace between people and God—a peace that was broken because of our imperfection, our rebellion—our sinful ways.
  • Jesus came to restore our broken relationship with God. Why? So we could experience wholeness and peace with ourselves, and then extend it to others around us.

In the song, Hark The Herald Angels Sing we sing the words “peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.” These words are all about peace—the reconciliation of you and me through God’s Son, Jesus. Without it, there is no peace and no chance to find it unless we turn to Jesus. He was the perfect example of Shalom-lived-out. He demonstrated the kind of peace we all long for. Being the Son of God, Jesus was at complete peace and unity with God and that is where we want and need to be as well.

In John 10:24-30 [NLT] we see people with no peace because they wouldn’t listen. “The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

The ancient meaning of Shalom as a greeting signifies, “May you live in anticipation of the day when God makes things whole again.” And that is why God sent his only Son, Jesus, so we can find peace and be at rest with the Lord. During this Christmas season, take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented, rushed, exciting, stressful, moving forward or holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above and we cannot get off the hamster reel.

Peace—where? Well, Jesus came to make all things new and that came with His perfect peace. It is open to us 24/7 but we won’t get it if we don’t embrace it! The Shalom of Jesus is the peace we need. What would our lives look like if we could start over with a clean slate; a mind at peace and the assurance of life now and forever with Jesus? Let’s try it, it may be the best Christmas gift we need this year. Shalom…AMEN.