John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
The angels announced peace at the birth of Jesus. They announced that an everlasting peace had come, though it is unlikely that the Shepherds or any other person realized the nature of the announcement at the time.
How could they?
What Kind Of Peace Does The World Give?
Easy enough to see in our times, the world gives peace as a sort of negative space. Hostilities cease, but only for a time; stress is relieved until the next pressure builds; things go our way, until they are crossed. Peace is just an empty space waiting to be broken in the worlds way of giving. It is never lasting.
That is why God’s peace is beyond our understanding, it is something we have not seen before, and which exists nowhere else. Except within Him.
How Do We Have Such Peace?
It is a spiritual fruit, and grows from a relationship with Christ.
Stop trying to manufacture such a state within, and receive it by nurturing your time with God. Follow Christ, pray, go about the business of maturing in your faith and peace will come.
Let peace grow.
How Do We Give Such Peace?
If we are peacemakers, we must be able to not only have this within ourselves, but to share it. St. Paul admonished to have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, and so we must walk in it.
Peace cannot be forced on others, but we may be at peace with others as much as it is within our own power and choice.
Carol for Today
Angels We Have Heard On High
https://youtu.be/UO3tqaHyNJM
