The Never Ending Gift

by Barbara Latta

Each Christmas season we see plays and read stories depicting the Nativity scene with angels descending and proclaiming, “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14). These words are quoted often, printed on cards, and sung in songs; yet the world is at war, kids are shooting each other, financial disasters abound, and terrorism threatens us all. Where is peace?

It wasn’t peace on earth the angels sang about, but peace between God and mankind. Even Jesus Himself said he did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34). Trusting Him would require a person to commit to God’s ways and separate themselves from the wrong they had done. Friends and family familiar with the old ways wouldn’t like the change. Division would occur.

The world’s turmoil is caused by strife between groups of people. Because humans have no peace in their hearts, fighting and anger grow creating havoc and war. Selfishness rules with pain and heartache becoming the result.

Peace is not the absence of conflict in the world, but the absence of conflict in your heart. It is the Christmas gift God gave to all of us over 2,000 years ago. No matter what is going on around us, we can have a peaceful soul if we let this gift be ours. Peace never wears out, doesn’t need batteries, doesn’t need to be returned, and can be used in every season.

Before Jesus left the earth He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27 NKJV).

Peace is a never ending gift. Are you a willing recipient?

Hustle and Bustle or Peace?

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14).

Bad news is everywhere. It seems even worse during holiday celebrations. All you have to do is open a newspaper to find out there is no peace on earth right now. There never has been. That's because men's hearts are evil unless they are connected to God. Jesus Himself foretold of "wars and rumors of wars" as a sign of the last days (Matthew 24:6).

When the angels said to the shepherds, "peace and goodwill toward men," they were not referring to the absence of war. Peace between God and man is the gift of Christmas. That is the good news.

There is no war between God and man any longer unless man refuses the perfect sacrifice. But sometimes we forget what He really gave us. We get caught up in shopping, traveling, cooking, and parties and in the frenzy of it all, we lose our peace. Rushing to purchase that last gift, getting cut off in traffic, and long check-out lines can frustrate us to the point of losing the meaning of the celebration.

God's gift to us was not wrapped in shiny paper, but in swaddling clothes. Christmas is about a baby. A baby who became a Man and re-connected us to God by stretching out His arms and dying on a cross.

In all the haste of the season, take a few moments to stop and leave it all behind. Focus only on the baby, the reason for the season. Ponder these words from Jesus, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you: not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

May His peace be the best gift you receive this Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all!