GETTING READY for ADVENT

November 29, 2024

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

To be human is to understand what it means to fear. A tiny child trembles at the darkness of night; even a celebrated star harbors a dread of losing their fans' love. Our society is rife with fear—wars, strife, dangers, crimes, the uncertainty of elections, and the wavering trust in governance. It's a lengthy list, indeed. We are intimately acquainted with fear.

The season of Advent helps us long for a different reality: one ruled by peace rather than fear.Christ’s birth and the promise of his second coming means peace is breaking through. Jesus, the Son of God came into the world surrounded by our struggles, tribulations, despair, and fears, not merely to comfort us but to end that which we fear the most.

This is why the psalmist can boldly say, “We will not fear, though the earth gives way.” (Ps. 46) It is why one of Jesus’ common refrains is “Fear not.” It is why the Apostle Paul proclaims that the peace of God guards and rules over the hearts of his people, as a verse today reminds us. The Biblical message is that our Prince of Peace comes to live for us, die for us, and rise for us.

In Jesus living, dying and rising, he overcomes death itself, cleanses us of our sin, defeats the evil one, and makes us righteous. Through faith in Immanuel, "God with us," we are promised eternal life, finding that in Christ alone, fear gives way to peace.

The message of Advent is that despite our worries, anxieties, and very real suffering, we have a God who stands determined to give us his peace "which transcends all understanding." (Phil. 4:7)

Thanks be to God!!