"And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men!'" (Luke 2:13, 14)
The
night Jesus was born was a night of incredible peace. First of all, there was universal political
peace in the Roman Empire. After
centuries of ethnic fighting and wars of all kinds, Rome's power and control
had grown to the degree that for a short time all was quiet throughout the
empire. It was a very appropriate time
for the Prince of Peace to be born.
Jesus'
birth was announced to lowly shepherds out in the fields in the stillness of
the night. Maybe this was one reason
they were the first ones chosen to receive this glorious announcement. The shepherds weren't so busy, noisy, and
distracted that they couldn't hear. They
were quiet and alert.
A
heavenly host of angels spoke to the shepherds with words of peace. In other words, this peaceful proclamation
came from a military troop! In Greek,
the word host literally means "army."
They were God's Angelic Air Force Choir, singing of world peace through Christ,
our only hope for true peace.
Do
you and I take time to be quiet, yet alert, before the Lord? Or are we continually caught up in the
busyness and noise of this world? Psalm
46:10a tells us, "Be still and know that I am God." It's amazing the peace and strength God can
give us when we quiet our hearts before Him and reach out in faith to our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Where
is there real peace on earth? In the
hearts and minds of those who are letting the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ,
rule within. Jesus wants to bring His
blessed peace to our hearts. By dying
for our every sin on the cross, the hostility between us and God has been
defused.
How
do you receive the peace of Christ? By
letting His presence come to rest in your life by faith. Jesus promised, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neith neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
From Pastor Wayne Taylor, Calvary Fellowship, Mountlake Terrace, WA
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