Celebrating the ‘Prince of Peace’….
Front and center on our tree this year is the message of Peace on Earth, which the angels declared on that long-ago winter’s night.
In 1863, war ravaged a fractured nation. The Civil War created many tragic tales, such as that of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow whose son was crippled in battle.
Grief concerning his son was complicated by the earlier death of his beloved wife, Fanny. With civil war raging that first Christmas following Fanny’s death, Longfellow, still in the depths of despair, penned words to what has become one of my favorite Christmas carols.
Christmas Bells
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
...Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said:
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Over 2000 years ago, a band of angels announced the birth of The Prince of Peace. More than 100 years ago Longfellow wrote Christmas Bells.
Still, we ponder peace.
At times, a part of me is tempted to ask, ’Okay, so where is this Prince of Peace?’ Thoughts of world peace seem hopeless. Hate remains strong, mocking the angelic song delivered to shepherds one night so long ago.
Yet, a deeper part of my soul—a place fueled by hope and transcending my human understanding—believes more strongly than ever in the relevancy of The Prince of Peace.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
This Advent season we ponder the arrival of Jesus entering earth as Emmanuel, ‘God with us.’ I want to celebrate the joy of Jesus as a baby, the pronouncement of the angels, announcing
Peace on earth!
But I also want to look beyond infancy to the remarkable man he became. Jesus was able to show the exact nature of God because, in fact, he was not only fully man but fully God.
The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John— document Jesus’ interactions with family, friends, strangers, religious and political leaders. Lately, I’ve been reading slowly through the gospel of Luke, savoring and pondering stories Jesus used to illustrate God’s kingdom as well as stories told about Jesus’ strategy and interpersonal encounters.
Lastly, and most importantly, I want to focus on Jesus as Savior, who was willing to surrender and suffer for our salvation.
This second week of Advent, my prayer:
Lord, open the eyes of our understanding to see beyond a baby to the message the angels delivered about this baby.
Expand our understanding to see how Jesus modeled peace during the three years of His earthly teaching.
Guide us to the gracious gift of salvation Jesus—the Prince of Peace—offers.
Amen
