Advent: Week 1
“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness!”
This past Sunday,
the dance company I dance with shared a ballet piece after the morning church service. While we were warming up, I was mentally planning this year’s advent posts, thinking of colour schemes, a theme, fonts, photos, the usual…
“This year I’m finally gonna write a blog post and share it on time”, I remember thinking to myself.
This beautiful season was on my mind all day but for all the wrong reasons.
I think sometimes I cling to superficial things and fixate on trying to have details in order and getting things right. Sometimes, I fall into the trap of seeking peace in knowing I’m doing the right thing at the right time. (Or in this instance, posting the the “right things” at the “right time”).
So here we are on Wednesday afternoon;
many days after the first day of Advent and I’m reminded of peace - true peace.
Contentment, wholeness, peace, still, shalom - knowing it is well with my soul.
Believing it is well with my soul.
I’m constantly learning that peace cannot and does not come from anything or anyone else other than the Prince Of Peace Himself. It will not come from our idea of perfection, perfect health, checking off lists, or meeting deadlines or feeling in control of our circumstances.
And yet, in our humanness, we often overlook hope and seek anything and anyone but the Prince of Peace to fill our voids, to heal our brokenness, or bring light to our loneliest darkest nights.
In the Old Testament, as far back as the beginning of time, God’s people have always been on the search for peace too. Fruit was eaten, a brother was killed, a tower was built, promises were doubted, cities waged war, peoples were exiled, kingdoms fell, and there was darkness.
Until the sun.
Until Light.
Until Life.
Until the Son of Righteousness was promised to the people of Israel to save and heal and restore.
Dear friend, keep your face turned toward His glorious rays of light and life.
Recognize the present darkness and remember our past - those before us who longingly and prayerfully awaited in darkness for a Messiah, for a King, for a way, for the truth, for life, for Yeshua.
Don’t get caught up in any temporary passing, fading, flashing lights that may try to distract you from peace.
The Prince of Peace sits victoriously on His throne reigning justly and righteously over all.
Will you take shelter under His healing wings and find hope in the midst of this world’s weariness and chaos?
In the midst of of a season full of deadlines, dinner parties, shopping, giving, and receiving, seek peace.
True peace;
He’s waiting for you with open arms.