Advent

December 20, 2021

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains
   are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
   who announces salvation,
   who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
   together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
   the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
   you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
   he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
   before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
   the salvation of our God.

They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,
   saying, ‘Peace, peace’,
   when there is no peace. –Jeremiah 6:14

When we think of the word “peace,” we often consider the lack of war or perhaps peace of mind. The terms used above in Isaiah and Jeremiah’s quotes are translations of the Hebrew word “Shalom*” and have a broader meaning, including completeness, soundness, welfare, (plus) peace*. Recently, we have experienced the withdrawal from a war in Afghanistan that lasted for 20 years and continues today, although our nation is not in the fighting.  Yet, we are experiencing little peace as we deal with violence of all kinds and miss the joy of peace of mind. How do we withdraw from the battles of who is right and wrong and who owns God?

As we approach the celebration of the coming of the Christ child, let us take some time to restore our souls with love that poured forth from God at the birth of a child, an innocent entering a world that was just as messed up as we are now. He, however, brought with him and taught us the ways of shalom, if we are willing to give up those things that divide us and follow the path that Christ set before us.

Prayer: God of Love and Mercy, forgive us when we let the world distract us and lead us off the path you carved for us. Draw us back to the road you set before us, Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7965.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.