Advent Reflections: Unwrapping the Gift of Peace
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. For Christians, that means celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who came to bring us peace. For week two of advent, we’re unwrapping what this means.
Peace is a gift that Jesus offers us — a peace that surpasses all understanding. As we count down the days until Christmas, let’s take a moment to reflect on what peace means for us.
What does it look like in our lives? How can we work towards achieving peace in our homes and communities? Join me as we explore these questions.
Exegesis – Peace That Surpasses All Understanding
In Philippians 4:7 (ESV), the Apostle Paul writes, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The Prince of Peace promises a peace not found in this world.
This type of peace comes from God alone; it is deep and security-giving, grace-filled and healing.
In Greek, the word for peace is eirene. It’s derived from the verb eiro, which means “to join.” So peace literally means “to join together.” And when we apply that definition to Philippians 4:7, we see that the peace of God is a peace that unites our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
It’s a peace that comes from knowing Him and being united with Him.
This peace is not something that we can understand with our human minds. On the contrary, It’s beyond our understanding because it’s supernatural. It’s a peace that can only come from God. And it’s a peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
When we have this peace, we don’t have to be anxious or afraid because we know that Jesus is with us always. Instead, He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). That means we can rest in His peace and know that He is in control.
The Prince of Peace
The Bible often speaks about the preciousness and value of shalom – or internal spiritual peace with God – as it is given by God alone. This type of peace stands in contrast to the chaos and violence we often experience in our lives today. It transcends circumstances because it is rooted in God’s love for us.
In respect, no matter what hardships we face, we can know that His peace will remain with us and guide us through any situation when we remain rooted in Him.
In addition, Jesus offers us an everlasting kind of comfort and protection against fear, worry, anxiety and stress that cannot be gained from any worldly source or thing. It does not depend on outside sources for its strength, but instead comes from the very presence of Jesus Himself dwelling within us.
Even if there may be turmoil around us, our hearts can still be filled with His calming presence if we trust Him completely as our heavenly Father who deeply cares for each one of His children no matter what struggles they have faced (Romans 8:38-39).
Before Jesus took His life to the cross, he gave us a promise: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you…Let not your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid.”
John 14:27
The Promise of Peace
So even when facing difficult situations or hard times we can find strength in knowing that His unfailing love surrounds us like a shield (Psalm 3:3).
We can find refuge in Him who makes everything new again (Revelations 21:5).
Allowing ourselves to surrender to His plans allows us to know true assurance and security even amidst life’s uncertainties since He works all things together for good (Romans 8:28).
In seeking out His perfect plan for our lives, He grants us a special kind of inner-peace where joy overflows even when the circumstances around us are dark or uncertain.
That inner contentment cannot be bought nor found anywhere else except through Jesus Christ who gives it freely out of His never-ending love for each one of His children–His true gift to mankind which will remain forever!
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