Peace And Good Will

Peace on earth, Good will toward men! The angels announced God’s heart and intentions to the down-trodden citizens of earth. He had not forgotten His promise. At last, in the fullness of time, the desired deliverer had arrived.

He wants that same Peace for us, two thousand years later. In the midst of a world full of turmoil and war and financial uncertainty and injustice and lack, in the midst of our pain and regret, where anxiety follows us and fear watches our every move, Christ brings us His peace and protection.

With His peace comes rest  – freedom from fear and it’s “yoke of bondage”. Our peace comes from knowing we are loved. Few understand the suffering and sacrifices of real love. For most, love is most often marketed in movies and media displays as lust and infatuation and first kisses.

Real love is compassion. It is kind and longs for reconciliation. It works for the restoration of “peace and good will” between two people. Real love forgives, mends, and does not keep a record of wrongs. It is not easily offended, does not try to get even and is humble. Real love dies so another can live. Real love is not jealous, hateful or insecure.

Real love does not need to boast of its greatness. Real love is not pretentious. It does not put on airs to impress or demand things of others. It is not conditional. It does not use guilt to prove a point or provoke to control another.

Real love does not seek its own, but rejoices in the good things that happen to others. It weeps with those who are sad and hurting. It laughs with those who are merry. It waits for the fulfillment of what it desires. It does not provoke another, or wish them evil. It does not meditate on evil.

Real love comes from God. It cannot fail. It will never loose heart or falter before the desired end for which it has endured all things. God’s love is real love.

My prayer for you this Christmas is that your love will not fail; that you will love your children whether they come home for Christmas or not. That you will have strength to forgive the one you are or were married to that has walked out on you and left you alone. And if life has left you alone, and you have no one, that you will reach out and find someone to love with God’s love this year.

Do not waste these brief and precious moments on the grief of what is not or what has been lost or what could have been. Look up for our redemption and reward draws near. Find someone to love, to pray for, to walk along side of, to help, to comfort, to be with. Invite someone into your world and be their friend.