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Long after the holidays have passed, an unexpected gift shows us a simple way to find peace throughout the year.
Promise of peace
In the busyness of life, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the details of a too long to-do list or the myriad of thoughts cluttering our minds. The promise of peace on earth can feel like a distant memory from a long-forgotten holiday. That is, until we discover a misplaced, overlooked decoration that didn’t find its way back into the box from whence it came.
What if that seemingly out of place ornament is really a reminder of what shouldn’t get packed away?
Wayward ornament
Every year one ornament hides from the boxes and doesn’t get put away after the Christmas season is over. Sometime in the first few weeks of the new year I discover the wayward ornament. I’ve come to expect it and just wonder who the seasonal stowaway will be. This January was no different, at least as far as forgetting one. But this year’s blunder was colossal, not even close.
I look now and think how could I have possibly missed it – or them as it were? Sometimes I forget I’ve set up decorations in a less traveled room and simply don’t get back to the space before all the box lids are closed. But this year’s hold outs were in the same room as the Christmas tree albeit at the opposite end of the room.
Reminders of the celebration
But seriously, how could I have missed something – or things – so big? What you ask? Two holiday banners. One long and skinny, the other a square. The first adorned with a star, a candle, bells, and other instruments. Festive symbols of sacred song and worship. Reminders of the celebration of our Savior’s birth, Jesus who brings light and life into our midst.
The other banner shows an ornament adorned with a dove accompanied by the words “Peace on Earth.”
When I consider these two banners adorned with symbols of the season, I see signs of worship and peace. A reminder of the angelic praises of heaven witnessed by the shepherds on that holy night.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 NIV
Might we remember this message of hope in the new year?
In a season when so much can distract or discourage us, we can remember that worship is the way to peace. When weighed down by the worries of the world, we can worship our way to peace in our hearts.
Pause
I never feel like I have enough time to get everything done. Then when I sit with Jesus, really sit, not a drive by coffee chat, but settle in, questions get answered, priorities realized, insight comes, my heart fills with a sense of calm and what’s really important.
So if you’re not sure how to get started, simply pause, rest for a moment without an agenda, but rather a heart ready to seek Jesus’ presence.
We could call this a precursor to prayer. This pause doesn’t require preparation, only expectation of a moment left open for the Savior to spend a moment with us.
Sometimes that happens by simply looking out a window at nature. A chance to step outside, then taking the time to notice a branch of a tree, a bird, or even a rock can anchor us to the beauty of God’s creation, clearing the mind of chaos.
Pray and listen
If we choose to pray, then let our prayer be the beginning of a dialogue, not a monologue. If we resist the urge to do all the speaking, and instead listen, we leave room for the Holy Spirit to speak into our heart.
Passage
Reading scripture offers another entry point into peace.
New to reading scripture? Here’s an overview of the whole Bible:
Sometimes you don’t even have to open your Bible to benefit. Simply holding a Bible can provide a tangible reminder of our connection to Jesus.
I wrote a blog post about that here:
Don’t open your Bible, at least not yet
In some ways it’s like having coffee with a friend. Even before the conversation starts, the connection and the benefit of being in their company begins.
If we allow our Bible to be a reminder of God’s Presence in our lives, then simply reaching for it can posture us toward a sense of peace.
But if you do open your Bible to read, pray and ask God to show you something in the scripture passage. Just that much is an invitation for God to speak.
Verse 11 from Psalm 29 provides two phrases we can rest in:
“The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11 NIV
Let the words of the psalm settle into your heart and mind.
“The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11 NIV
Do you need strength today? Hold onto that portion of the verse.
Do you need peace? Receive the blessing in the words of this psalm.
When I pause to reflect on this verse, these two phrases, I see a gift and a blessing from God.
The gift of strength and the blessing of peace.
We can also breathe the words of this passage. As we breathe in, we can read the first phrase:
“The Lord gives strength to his people;”
As we breathe out, we focus on the second half:
“The Lord blesses his people with peace.”
Just doing that requires me to slow down my breathing, a benefit of resting in the Word of God.
Praise
We can also take a cue from the angel in the Christmas story and praise God. Here’s a little context from the Gospel of Luke chapter 2, verses 13 and 14. This is right after the angel of the Lord tells the shepherds about the Messiah:
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” Luke 2:13-14 NIV
If it works for the angel, we can praise God with the same words.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 NIV
Settle into the song of the angel. Worship with the heavenly host. Praise a path of peace.
Peace on earth
This morning I pondered the words of this passage, specifically the phrase “peace on earth.” Outside was a bit stormy. At the time the wind blew in temperatures below freezing, while I sat in warmth and comfort. This had me thinking, what if “peace on earth” isn’t so much about peace covering the earth, but about us experiencing peace while on the earth? For those who choose to live a life that includes Jesus, we can receive such peace.
Way to peace
God is more powerful than our problems. What if the way to peace comes through praise and worship? Not focused on our problems but on the power of God.
When I think on those two banners left out after the holidays were over, I now see them as gifts from the Holy Spirit. Maybe I was meant to find these gentle reminders, that spoke so surprisingly because they felt out of season. But maybe peace and calm should feel like year-round gifts from God, and maybe He needs to reclaim our attention because as the new year busy takes over we can easily forget the gift of a child bringing a message of “peace on earth.”
Maybe what felt out of place was really what was needed in the first place.
Whether through a pause, a prayer, or the Word of God, may your worship and praise draw you into a place of peace.
New to reading the Bible? Here’s a handy guide to what’s in it:
Still looking for a Bible? Here are some hints on how to choose one:
What to look for when choosing a Bible
Not sure where the Psalms are in your Bible, here’s a way to locate them: