PBPC Advent Devotional, Week 2 - Peace
Week Two – Peace
Biblical peace (called shalom in Hebrew) is not just an absence of conflict. Neither is it a state of inner calm. Biblical peace has a corporate sense to it, so it is relational. When relations are right, stable and in order, there exists a sense of well-being and reconciliation which promotes life, prosperity and welfare in the broadest sense. In this kind of peace, all people and all creation live in right relationship with God and with each other. The result is well-being, and harmony, and justice, and flourishing.
Monday
Isaiah 2:3-4
3 Many peoples shall go, and say;
Come, let us go up to the mount of the Lord
to the house of Jacob's God.
that He may teach us of His ways,
and that we may walk in His paths.
For from Zion's shall teaching come forth
the Lord's word from Jerusalem.
4 And He shall judge among the nations
and be arbiter for many peoples.
And they shall will grind their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not raise sword against nation,
nor shall they learn war anymore.
(translation by Robert Alter)
Think of the numerous conflicts happening in our world today. How many can you list, in the Americas, in Europe, in Africa, in Asia?
Now imagine Jesus stepping into one and bringing the leaders together over a big feast. They talk. They listen. They find mutual understanding and common ground. They let go of their grievances. They look each other in the eye and shake hands. Then they each go out to their soldiers and their people and bring them to an understanding of reconciliation with their former foe. Feel the weight of anger and anxiety lift. Pray that reconciliation into a conflict you know.
Daily Practice
Find a nail. Look at it and recall that this is what it cost Jesus to bring that reconciliation to fruition. Now bend the nail with a hammer, and smash the head as well. See how its shape resembles a plowshare. Our bitterness and ill-will are so much harder to re-form than a nail.
Tuesday
Isaiah 11:6-9
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard lie down with the kid,
And the calf and the lion shall feed together,
a little lad leading them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall graze,
together their young shall lie;
and the lion like cattle eat hay.
8 And an infant shall play by a viper's the hole,
and on an adder's den the babe put its hand.
9 They shall do no evil nor act ruinously
on all My holy mountain.
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
(translation by Robert Alter)
Biblical peace is not just the cessation of human conflicts and wars. It is the reconciliation of all creation. It is so safe a defenseless child can walk in its midst. Have you ever seen a surprising display of peace?
Daily Practice
Take a short stroll today or look out your window at your neighborhood activity. Imagine all the potential threats you might encounter, from physical attack to animal attack to a fall to a virus infection to a traffic accident to whatever else you can conceive. In your mind, pray and hand each of those over to Jesus for him to reconcile. Receive his healing reconciliation into creation; receive his peace and flourishing.
Wednesday
Luke 2:13-14
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" (NRSV)
What is this peace on earth they proclaim? For whom is it directed? What does it look like? Have you ever experienced it?
Daily Practice
Get out a globe or world map. Or open up Google Earth or Google Maps. Pray that God would flood the world with shalom. Get out your Advent stone and hold it. Turn it over in your palm. Remember an answer to prayer you have received. Trust him for this prayer, too. Thank God for his faithfulness to his promises.
Thursday
Numbers 6:24-26
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. (NRSV)
God gave this blessing to the early Israelite priests and told them to speak it over the people. God told the priests to pray that he would give them people peace. To this day, many churches and synagogues end their services with this blessing.
Imagine God's face shining upon you. He must have smile-crinkled eyes in order to shine. He is looking you in the eye and delighting in you. Receive his peace. Bask in his delight for as long as you like.
Daily Practice
Find a piece of yellow paper and cut a circle out of it. (Or use white paper if you must.) Sketch a face on it. Tape it up on the side of your mirror. When you see it, remember God's face shining delight and peace upon you. Think of someone you know whom you could bless this day – with a phone call, card, gift, act of service. Take an action to be God's blessing to him or her.
Friday
John 14:1, 27
1 'Don't let your hearts be troubled,' Jesus continued. 'Trust God – and trust me too!'…. 27 'I'm leaving you peace. I'm giving you my own peace. It's quite different from what the world gives. Don't let your hearts be troubled, and don't be fearful. '
(translation by NT Wright)
Truly this is a high anxiety season in our city, our country, our world. You are not alone. Name your anxieties and concerns. Speak them aloud to Jesus.
Daily Practice
Write the anxieties you listed above each on a slip of paper. One at a time, clench them in your fist. Squeeze as tight as you can. Then slowly open your fist and release the crumpled slip. Tell Jesus you are releasing this concern to him. Turn your hand over and drop it on the floor. Take all your slips and run them through your paper shredder. They are done! Let your heart be not troubled.
Saturday
Matthew 5:9
9 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.' (NRSV)
The world does not always see peacemakers in a good light. In both global and personal situations, peacemakers are seen as weak. They are compromisers. Or they are 'soft on crime.' Or they ignore differences without resolving them. But Jesus favors, even blesses, peacemakers. He wants us to see the world of relationships through eyes of reconciliation.
Have you ever been a peacemaker? What was your experience? Were you mocked or appreciated?
Daily Practice
Think of a conflict situation in your life. Ponder it. Pray over it. Beseech God's reconciliation, peace, shalom, restoration. If God gives you an action, do it.