Peace in Our Time

   There is this verse this morning from Isaiah 9:

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

   Prince of Peace, a title given to The Messiah in this verse from the prophet. A verse that will be read and recited many times over the next few weeks in this Christmas season.

   And there is a verse from this Christmas carol, a poem from Longfellow in 1864:

"And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

   "There is no peace on earth I said", and as I look around the world this December, that seems to be the case in so many places. In Syria, in Egypt, in Iraq, here in the US, and even in Walmart. Conflict and not peace.

   Conflict in government, conflict in the streets, conflict in the home and even conflict in His church.

   Conflict does not just have to be "out there" manifesting itself in violence, it can be inside, too. There is the conflict of what to do, where to go, how to act, how to respond.

   Perhaps I cannot stop the violence in the Middle East, but I can project the Peace of the Prince of Peace into my little world by starting in my own life. Jesus says in John 14:

" Peace I leave with you; My 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 fearful."

   Then there is the last verse of the carol:

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

   I need to take the time to rest in that true peace, so that, in the very least, one life will reflect it into my surroundings.

   "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin in me"