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Second Week of Advent – Peace
Let the righteous flourish throughout their lives, and let peace prosper until the moon is no more. (Psalm 72:7)
The wolf will live with the lamb and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion will feed together. (Isaiah 11: 6)
Thanksgiving is over and we have fully entered the Advent Season – a time set aside for us to anticipate and wait for the coming birth of Jesus. I must confess that this waiting time is much easier on my soul then some of the other times I have had to wait with anticipation. It is easier because I know that at the end of the Advent – Jesus is born – I know the where, the how, the announcements, the star, the shepherds, and the reason. I am at peace in this waiting time.
The challenge for me is to be at peace with my inner chaos during other “advents” in my life. Here is my confession:
- I struggle with wanting to control the outcome
- I want to jump to the end of the book/movie/show to see what happens or “who done it”
- I worry too much
It is in these situations that I must take a step back, take a deep cleansing breathe, and recall the words of Scripture about peace. When I do these simple things, I find myself smiling, remembering that Jesus came to give me, and you, a peace that surpasses all understanding. Jesus has set me free and now, this Advent season – I am once again invited to be at peace.
We are set free from fear, worry, control, and sin. There is no other advent hymn that says it is eloquently as, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” (UMH 196). These words envelope my heart, and my prayer is that they offer peace within your soul.
Come thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee… AMEN!