Peace and Goodwill

 Micah 5:5 ‘And this man shall be the peace...’

It’s Christmas day! Hurrah hurray!

Wishing a blessed day to you and all yours.

I thank God for a day like this. When you are a Christian, everyday is a day of celebration that God came into the world. However, it is wonderful that this is a time where the world at large thinks about the saviour. Never-the-mind that December 25^th was originally an ancient Pagan feast day called Saturnalia (that’s why we avoid a few of the lingering Pagan traditions such as erecting a tree- Jeremiah 10:-4). I am so glad this day has been allocated one to focus on God and family.

I feel that the overriding message during this season is one of peace. When the birth of Christ was declared, the heavens were bursting with jubilation as the angels sang “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Peace..peace....peeeeeeeeace (whisper it slowly and quietly. Feel it. It’s almost onomatopoeic. lolz)

In many of the prophetic scriptures about Christ coming into earth, the wonderful element of a new kind of peace is talked of. Christ is undoubtedly the ‘The Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6).

The peace he brought was to soothe the fractured relationship between us and him that sin caused. He had made a way to be closer to us than ever. The ‘peace’ he brought is also that which he desires to instil within us. When men face anxiety, depression, anguish, bitterness, anger, hurt, inner turmoil...He comes to utter ‘peace’ and calm our soul’s storms with the power of a mere word from His mouth. Just as when the disciples were suffering the violence of raging wind and sea (Mark 4:9).

Wherever we are today, with whomever and however we are celebrating, God has a special gift for us all to receive. It is better than any others you can be given (I don’t give a care that you had your heart set on an iphone!) it will keep you throughout your life (and beyond) and he died for you to receive it...it’s his perfect peace.

In sickness and in health...

 

     Random thought sharing...

I remember watching a documentary about people in the UK living with HIV/ aids. There was a couple who were together, despite the woman knowing that the man was HIV positive (contracted before he met her) (actually it may be the other way round; I can’t remember exactly if it was the woman or the man who was infected.) The couple was committed to one another and the non-infected one took the decision to have a sexual relationship with their spouse, without contraception. They wanted to have children together, knowing there is a drug that, if taken by the mother, would allow them to birth a perfectly healthy child in their future. The uninfected spouse did indeed become infected, but had no regrets.

Though some may question the wisdom of the one who started in health risking it for their other half – surely you can admire the love and commitment they feel toward the partner to put themselves in such a position. Especially in a day and age where true love and lifelong male-female commitment is becoming a dying myth.

Some say a similar picture is painted in Adam’s love for Eve. He was well aware he would die if he ate of the fruit, but loved her so much he ate it anyway, to remain with her. I don’t know about that exactly, but it’s an interesting thought.

And in this world full of so much to discourage, thank God that there are always people –even in dire situations- who exalt an exemplary love.