PEACE

In this season, let us tie the pursuit of peace to Christmas. Have you ever overseen a project and not worried about it? You had peace and trust. But in our lives with God, we tend to pray first, and then worry after! “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

We don’t practice this enough and yet God in His mercy says, “Just trust me, I will deliver.” And he did deliver by sending Jesus as a child in our stead. So, what are you worrying about that you’ve already prayed about? Do you think God is that untrustworthy? He says, “Trust in me! Have peace in me. I sent my own beloved Son down to save you! Your name is written in the book of life. Any day now you could die and be in heaven with me, and you're worried about politics and having a job?”

Better to leave your burdens at the foot of the cross and say, "God, in you I trust."
Dave Ramsey says, "There’s one way to financial peace, and that’s by walking daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus." It’s the same in life.  The only way to achieve extraordinary peace is by walking daily with the Prince of Peace, Jesus. This is realized most clearly in the birth of Jesus Christ. Fathers can think about this. When you come home, you want your kids carefree. Similarly, God doesn't like seeing his children wondering about how they’re going to get over life’s next obstacle.

How can we have peace? Verse 8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.’’That’s Christmas, the moment when the most noble, righteous, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy event happened. God sent His own Son. In heaven, we’ll realize we truly had nothing to worry about. We can have peace because God put Christ on this earth as a vulnerable child, going all in for us. Christmas is the holiday of peace celebrating the Prince of Peace!

- Thomas Popescu