"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. — Isaiah 54:10
Peace, in a worldly sense, is hard to come by during this season. Deadlines, parties, and family all conspire to take our spare time during the Advent season. But we still try to find it, in between everything, in the little moments before and after. In college, before the Christmas break, I would only find peace in the morning or at night. Peace was only ever in my spare time, never something I strived to achieve. But, how great is God's peace, that it is His promise to us during Christmas?
Instead of a peace that is temporary, God promised us peace everlasting—shalom. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace, but not a temporary, worldly peace that is found in between our lives. It is a spiritual peace found in being made whole again. God's promise is not that we can rest after a project or before a meeting, but that we are always at peace, having been reconnected with God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. During Christmas, we celebrate that there is hope, that the promise will be fulfilled. His promise, which cannot be changed like the earth, is that we are whole again, one with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This promise of wholeness moves us to take action, not rest. We are at peace with ourselves so that we can share the word of God with others. It is only because we have been made whole again, through God's promise, that we have the strength to share God's word with the world.
Lord, thank you for the promise you kept with us through Jesus. Help us now to remember that we cannot rest in our peace, but that we are called to share your promise with the world. Amen.
Charles Williams is a member of the Young Pros Sunday School class and has enjoyed all the time he has spent with them. He is the son of Henry and Carole Williams, the brother of David Williams. He is currently an intern pursuing his license in architecture at Merriman Holt Powell Architects.
