It’s been a hectic week. It’s not just been the build up to Christmas, though that doesn’t help, but Ruth has also had an operation which has put her out of action, so it’s been a one-man show round here for the past few days (she’s doing well, by the way). I’ve also been very conscious of the fact that I need to come up with a blog post. Knowing that I have to produce some genius every Thursday adds to the stress and pressure, which I don’t always handle well. There have been a few moments this week when I’ve lost my cool, and my children have been the ones that have suffered. This morning I was reflecting on the irony: I’ve been stressed because I have to write about Christianity, when I should have just made it a priority to be a Christian.
I surrender my peace so cheaply. A little bit of pressure, and I burst. This time of year they call Jesus the Prince of Peace. I’m not sure that Jesus is the type of peace bringer that we want. We want an end to war, and we want some peace and quiet. I guess that one day Jesus will bring those things, but in the meantime he is an odd sort of Prince. The peace he brings doesn’t depend on what’s going on around us. Rather, he gives a peace that survives war – not freedom from fighting, but a quiet calm in the midst of the fighting, no matter how hectic.
I forget this, and let myself be controlled by the conflict around me. But Jesus is not just the Prince of Peace, he’s also the Eraser of Guilt and the Master of Second Chances.
Merry Christmas!
I often think of Matthew 8:20: Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” and John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Good post, and may the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)