From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Advent, Day 8”

Peace Helps Us Belong

The holiday season is special for a number of reasons. For many, it’s an opportunity to gather with family and loved ones to celebrate Christmas together. It’s a season for belonging. 

At the same time, we all have those family members or friends who put us on edge, even just a little bit. If we’re not careful, our differences and tensions bring division and crush unity. 

However, there is a source of deep, unbreakable peace. As followers of Jesus, we are part of the family of God. We have a kind of belonging that cannot be taken from us by others because it was given to us by God. 

When we remember the ultimate family we’re in, we’re able to empathize with the people around us—even the ones who sometimes rub us the wrong way. 

Peace is a state of wholeness, calm, and renewal between us, God, and others. So when we experience peace, it has the power to fight division and bring wholeness to all of our relationships. 

From the very beginning of the Bible, we see how God works with and through people to lead everyone to be at peace with one another. One example of this is the story of a shepherd named Abraham. 

In Genesis 12, we see God promising blessings to, and through, Abraham. 

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-3 NIV (emphasis added) 

Still, like nearly everyone in the Bible, Abraham had moments of conflict with his family and with others around him. But these moments didn’t disqualify him from God’s promises or God’s family. 

It was from Abraham’s family line that Jesus, our ultimate Peacemaker, would be born. Through Jesus, we’re able to be made whole and complete in our relationship with God. 

And in Revelation 14:6, we learn that this good news and invitation to God’s family is a free gift offered to everyone—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 

Today, we can have peace because we belong to God’s family. 

Pause and Pray:

God, thank You for Your love for humanity. You have always been gracious to me, even when I didn’t deserve it. Thank You for blessing all people, including me, through Your one and only Son, Jesus. Please give me Your peace that surpasses all understanding. In Jesus’ name, amen.

My Thoughts

I don’t know about you readers out there in the blogosphere, but I do know that I have not been feeling much peace this week. I have felt anxious about decorating (and I really only put out a few things and decorate the tree). I am even now anxious about completing my shopping. Why do I wait until December to shop? Well, that’s when I have the money all saved to do it and I anticipate the first of December every year. But then, I have to wait for people to give me ideas about what to buy and then when I choose things, I find out that they will be shipped later than Christmas. It just seems that one thing after another blocks my good intentions and the result is anything but peace.

When I read the definition of peace in today’s devotional, I read it again…and again. I highlighted it in red above just in case you need to read it multiple times, too. I am made whole by God. I can feel peace even during turmoil because He gives me His peace. And every day is a new day to establish better and renewed relationships between me and God and others. I don’t have to wait for my sister to give me “permission” to call her. I can call at any time and just express love and concern for her. Peace is a hard thing for me in this season of busyness, but I am finding if I just sit quietly for a little while I can get more accomplished than if I frantically try to do everything in a short period of time.

It is a real consolation to me that I am a part of God’s family and that I can share things here with my brothers and sisters online, knowing that you will not judge me but will pray for me and perhaps even identify with some of the same issues that I have. God sent His Son in order to adopt us into His family, a family that doesn’t judge but rather offers love and acceptance.

Today is a day of rest for me. I didn’t sleep late, but I do get to go to church and fellowship with others as I learn more about God. Then, after church, I can rest and not work on lists of things to do. In that I find peace.