Submitted by Pastor David Wynn, Tarkio Christian Church

Last week we lit the first candle of Advent, the candle of Hope, a candle that let us anticipate the promise of fulfillment for the candle of Peace we light this week, celebrating this second week of Advent. PEACE. That ever-elusive word that is so difficult to achieve. Webster’s defines peace as “a state of tranquility, or quiet, freedom from oppression, an agreement to end hostilities between foes, being at rest.

The prophet Isaiah wrote some of the most beautiful words ever written about humanity’s longing for peace. “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse . . . The Spirit of God will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, He won’t judge by appearances, won’t decide on the basis of hearsay. He’ll judge the needy by what is right . . . The wolf will romp with the lamb, the leopard sleep with the kid. Calf and lion will eat from the same trough, and a little child will tend them… Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill on my holy mountain.”

In other words, Isaiah says, when the Messiah comes in all of His fullness, all people will live in peace and dignity and love together. This is where the world is headed. The birth of Jesus was the beginning. With his birth the seed of the kingdom of peace and love was planted. “Listen,” Isaiah says, “the love of a tiny infant will someday overcome all the anger and hostility and hatred that resides in human hearts, and we shall all know that we are all brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. And all people across this globe will live in peace and dignity together.”

How many times have we heard these “Promises of Peace?” And yet, they are promises that seem to be unfulfilled. In the over 3,100 years of recorded world history, the world has only been at peace 8% of the time or a total of 286 years. Eight thousand treaties have been made and broken. War is a terrible thing. Some of you have been there. You know.

An elderly man saw some six and seven-year-old children at play, and asked, “What are you playing?” “War,” responded the kids. “Why don’t you play peace instead?” said the man. The children stopped, put their heads together, discussed something among themselves, then looked puzzled and finally ran out of words. One of them went to the elderly man and asked, “Grandpa, how do we play peace? We don’t know the game.”

You know, the early Christians did not bear arms. They believed that God would soon straighten out the world and that they should follow their Master’s example and lay down their lives for the world. However, as time passed and Christ did not come as quickly as they had expected, they began to moderate their views on war. They realized that sometimes it is necessary to fight in order to keep evil people from forcing their will on the weak and innocent. By gathering arms to fight evil, some say, we become the peacekeepers. Is this what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 5, verse 9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

If this is too confusing, maybe we just need to agree with the Apostle Paul, who said in Philippians 4, Verse 7, that “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding. . .” Maybe it is too big for us to understand, and, as Max Lucado once said, “Sowing seeds of peace is like sowing beans. You don’t know why it works; you just know it does. Seeds are planted, and topsoils of hurt are shoved away.” Maybe Peace should be defined as “the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God.”

Someone once wrote that if we wanted to give a present to our Savior this Christmas in honor of Peace, maybe we should choose something from His Christmas list:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time.   

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing to our nation’s congress and President complaining, why don’t you write and tell them that you’ll be praying for them and their families this year.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of my birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town may attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit-picking, be patient with the people who work at retail stores and restaurants this year. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Hold the door open for the next person through, and then the next one as well, and always wish them a Merry Christmas.

8. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no Christmas tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you talk to any of my pastors they will be able to supply you with a name of a family or an individual who needs to find the grace and love of Jesus Christ this year. (The list in Rock Port still has families needing food baskets this year.)

9. And finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in my presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don’t forget: I am God and can take care of myself. Just love me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and remember . . .

I love you, Jesus