Making Connections Dec 21

December 21

Micah 5:2-5, Matthew 2:1-6, John 16:33, Philippians 4:4-7

 

Making Connections:

 

I love the power of God to turn the small into the great. Jesus is our majestic Shepherd-King, able to give us security & peace. And yet, His arrival & much of His ministry were in more humble circumstances than those to befit a king. His birth took place in the tiny town of Bethlehem in a stable. God did use the glory of the heavens to declare the birth of Jesus, and yet, the only ones who seemed to recognize it were wise men from the east. The very first people who came to worship the baby Jesus were lowly shepherds, straight from the fields.

 

But in the same way that Jesus' majesty & glory arrived in surprising humility on earth, I think security & peace also come in surprising forms. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace, and the Bible promises peace to believers. Yet if we look at the lives of many of the saints, they were anything but peaceful. Our own lives as well are often filled with turmoil, pain, & hardship.

 

God's promises are sure - so where is this peace? The peace is not in our circumstances, but in the person of Jesus. In John 16:33, we are promised trouble & peace. The trouble is outward, in our circumstances & in our world. The peace is inward, through Jesus Himself. He will be our peace. We can see the same in Philippians 4. Often when people quote verse 6, they miss the last part of verse 5: "The Lord is near." How can we have peace & be anxious for nothing? By trusting that the Lord is with us.

 

God promises that He will give us peace that is beyond understanding. Peace that makes no sense sometimes given circumstances that may seem senseless at the time. Peace that goes beyond what is visible & comforts our very hearts. Jesus. the Prince of Peace, will one day bring full peace visibly into the world. But for now, that peace can guard our hearts beyond understanding & above our circumstances.