Peace this Advent

Tomorrow we light the second Advent candle which represents peace.

“Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.”

So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The- Lord – Is -Peace.

Judges 6:23-24

JEHOVAH SHALOM

Shalom Peace means rest, harmony, wholeness, completeness, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquillity, and prosperity.

In other words total wellbeing.

Praise God that He is our peace and we can find our total wellbeing in Him despite our current circumstances and trials.

God can bring us perfect peace in the midst of the storms of life that rage around us.

God is Peace.

The peace that passes all understanding.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

Gideon lived in a time when there was no peace in the land. There are many people in many nations who can identify with that today. They too live in such circumstances.

The Israelites were constantly being oppressed and attacked by their enemies the Midianites. Their crops and livestock were being destroyed and plundered. The Israelites were in hiding. Some were living in caves.

They had no peace.

They lived in constant fear.

Gideon was secretly threshing the wheat in the wine press to hide it from the Midianites when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him. Gideon would have been working in a state of anxiety fearing discovery.

Suddenly the Angel of the Lord appears. Gideon thought he would be struck down but the Lord said “Peace be with you”.

God’s angel announced peace to Gideon in the midst of fear and turmoil and many years later a host of heavenly angels comes to announce peace to the earth for the Prince of Peace has come.

God’s message does not change. It is the same message that heaven still declares today to you and I:

God is Peace.

In Him alone we find Perfect Peace.

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 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, goodwill toward men!”
Luke.2.8-14 NKJV

After his experience, Gideon built an altar to God and called the altar “Jehovah Shalom”.

If you are in need of God’s peace today then our prayer for you is from the blessing in Numbers 6:24-26 and Isaiah 26:3

“May the Lord bless you and keep you;

May the Lord make His face shine upon you,

and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

and give you His total peace.”

Lord we ask that today you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on you and who trust in you.

We thank you that Jesus promised us -“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, neither let it be afraid”.

We receive that Peace today which Jesus gives us.
Amen.