Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

During the second week of Advent, we focus on peace. When you think of peace on earth, what comes to mind? Often, we think about the absence of war or conflict. Peace of mind, peace in relationships—all can be boiled down to the calm that comes when there’s no conflict.

That is one meaning of peace, but the peace mentioned many times over in the Bible is not just the absence of conflict but also the presence of God. Continue reading “Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men”

Peace like a River

“I will extend peace to her like a river . . .” (Isa. 66:12)

God can speak to us anywhere, through anything. Often, he uses nature. After all, nature is his creation, and his fingerprints are all over it. Over the years, I’ve found peace by taking walks, enjoying the fresh air, and studying the things that God has made. But I’ve found the most peace—the place where God speaks to me the most clearly—near water. Continue reading “Peace like a River”

Longing for Peace

This post was originally published on December 23, 2019.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is 9:6)

Peace is elusive. With the invention of the smartphone, we are constantly connected and bombarded by dings, rings, and chimes. Instead of finding activities to engage our minds, we pull out our phones when we’re bored and pass the time on mindless games or scrolling through social media. We have email on our phones, so even when we’re away from the office, we’re still available and always on call. “Downtime” isn’t a word that’s even in our vocabulary anymore. Continue reading “Longing for Peace”

Longing for Peace

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is 9:6)

Peace is elusive. With the invention of the smartphone, we are constantly connected and bombarded by dings, rings, and chimes. Instead of finding activities to engage our minds, we pull out our phones when we’re bored and pass the time on mindless games or scrolling through social media. We have email on our phones, so even when we’re away from the office, we’re still available and always on call. “Downtime” isn’t a word that’s even in our vocabulary anymore. Continue reading “Longing for Peace”