The fourth candle of advent is the candle of Peace or Love. The Christmas story is really a message of Peace. God came to live with us to make peace with us when we could not make peace with him. Luke 2:8-14 (NIV)
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
As I have been thinking about so many characters in the Christmas story, I have noticed just how unsettling the experience was for them: Zachariah, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds. Usually when angels appear the first thing they say is, “Do not fear”. I can’t really think of anything that would “disturb the peace” more than an angel showing up! I imagine that these folks were just going about their daily lives. They were probably quite peaceful. The interjection of God’s plan into their lives probably seems like anything but peace bringing. It probably isn’t very peace invoking to find out you are pregnant out of wedlock, in a society where you can get the death penalty for that. But all of the people I have mentioned realized greater peace and joy.
They were all awakened to what we would call ‘supernatural’ but is in fact the real realm we walk in everyday. We are surrounded by angels (as Elisha’s servant finds out in 2 Kings 6); something that we are oblivious to. The peace that these characters were shaken from is a false peace. I know for myself I can settle into a sense of peace (security may be a better word) sometimes when I lose sight of God and his larger plan. I settle for a peace that is based on the world I can see. I need to be shaken out of this false peace and to be reconciled into a peace that is based on the truth. God is real. He and his agents are present. He loves me. He forgives me. I am at peace with Him not because of anything I have done but because He was willing to come and make peace with me through His own sacrifice.
I pray that we will all have moments when we are shaken form the earthly peace of our turkey comas this Christmas and be confronted with the supernatural - the real world around us that we can’t see. God has come that we can have peace with Him and each other.
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