This time of year, PEACE gets a lot of time in the spotlight. “Peace on earth” is frequently read from the Bible, the Prince of Peace was born into the world…but have you been in a mall parking lot in the last 72 hours? Not a lot of peace out there. In fact, it made me begin to wonder, and even empathize with those whose Christmas might be void of peace, or, at least are struggling with indiscernible peace.
I’m thinking today about the widow, widower…the divorcee…the shut in…those hospitalized…those who because of life circumstances are unable to be with family. I know you might not be able to live out your annual, Normal Rockwell painting moment, of being gathered around the Christmas tree and fireplace at Grandma’s house, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience peace. It’s not that peace on earth (or in your life) has disappeared, it’s just that the way you have traditionally recognized peace is not as easily discernible.
The truth of the matter is there will be tears shed over the next 24 hours, there will be struggles, there will even be death and loss. Things might not be like they were last year, or the year before. But I tell you, emphatically I tell you! You can still find peace!
This season I have been emotionally moved every time I hear Steven Curtis Chapman’s Christmas song, Christmas In Kentucky. For most of my life, I can remember driving into my Grandparent’s neighborhood, and each house lined the street with candles, I lived Christmas in Kentucky. The imagery is still fresh in my mind. To me, that represented peace. The peace of being with loved ones. Just the peace of Christmas Eve. This year, I won’t be as easily reminded of peace, as I have been in years past, but peace, even indiscernible peace is still out there. I know it is! I can find it…wait…I can discern it! And you can too.
Merry Christmas.