Peace on the Earth...the Wayfarer 2/2/16

Peace on the Earth
2/2/16

¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

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, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

(Luke 2:10-14)

As Christmas approaches each year more celebrations are planned, feasts are prepared, good will is espoused and greetings are exchanged wishing a merry Christmas to those with whom we come into contact.

The manger scenes are dusted off, displayed, Christmas programs rehearsed, carols rehearsed and sung in reminder of the Christ-child born so long ago to bring promise to all willing to receive that promise.

The date set for that celebration, set long ago under obscure circumstance, with no true understanding of the actual date of the event remains unimportant, yet precious to all who celebrate the birth of a Saviour, not of a nation, but of the world itself.

Proclamation of peace will be heard throughout the days ahead, yet that peace seems to be elusive for the world itself, and many will fail to expect or experience that very peace that was given and remains.

The peace that was given was not then and is not now peace among the descendants of Adam, or even among the progeny of Abraham.

It was and is a unique peace given, to all men willing to accept it, between God and man.

It is a peace given through the gift given that day by God to man of a sacrifice allowing communion and oneness with the Creator of man, a gesture of goodwill by that creator, a perfect example of the grace proffered by God to man, yet, as then, more often than not rejected by most in favor of what is temporal, temporary and false.

The admonition to, “Fear not,” goes unheard, overshadowed by the cacophony of man’s brutal insulting refusal of that gift, hurled at God in response to the gift that was given.

Gifts are given by some, to some, and become the focus of the celebration, forgetting entirely that the true gift has already been given, and is far more precious than the earthly treasures heaped on those of their fellows as a pale substitute for the gift of love and grace that was, and is given daily by God to us.

The good tidings of great joy become good tidings for a few to a few, with the joy of few in mind, and that joy only a temporary thing at best.

The history of the birth of Christ is relegated to a story, to be told once annually; and this in anticipation of a human celebration of  a bounty of earthly blessings, still overshadowed by the cares of a world in complete denial of the bounty of blessings truly given by God that distant day in a past, holding little to no meaning in reference to a future (also denied in favor of a present consisting only of a “season”; that “season” itself mired in the disagreement that is proliferated by the mere mention of that true gift, wreaking havoc among those who would deny even the existence of that very gift by politicizing it as being merely another “holiday”, while denying the literal meaning of even the word they themselves choose to replace Christmas, that being a Holy day.

The gift of peace was given to mankind that day!

That gift is still available to all willing to receive it.

It is not the peace that comes for a short while as armistice is declared, and the shooting stops for a short, agreed upon time between warring factions, nor is it the peace delivered only to be broken by the treaties agreed upon by nations that will exist, again “for a season”.

John 14:27-29

King James Version (KJV)

²⁷ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

²⁸ Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

²⁹ And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

The peace that was given us by that Savior is a lasting and eternal peace, once accepted, and cannot be relegated to a single day of the year.

Along with that peace comes the understanding that that peace must be in the knowledge of a future… an eternity of peace with God that could be given only by the Saviour born that day, a Saviour, not only born, but who lived to give us guidance in the darkness of a world that chose the here and now at that time, and still chooses it today.

Remembrance must not be only of a baby in a manger, who lived and did miracles so long ago, but must also be given to the entire life of that baby that was born, his crucifixion on the cross, his death and burial, but most of all to the RESURRECTION and continuing life of that Christ child.

Remembrance must be given to the existence of that Savior from eternity to eternity!

Remembrance must be given to the promise of love and grace available for that eternity!

Remembrance must be given that that baby was, and is, no mere man, no mere philosopher, no mere lawgiver for a season, but that He is One with God, and is God and will bring His peace despite those who refuse it.

Remembrance must be given as to why he came, and the message He gave all that provides that peace only to those hearing and heeding it:

“Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!” 

Without meeting the criteria of that message, the gift that was given is still refused, and no peace will be given any refusing it.

This season, this precious gift  must be emphasized and reiterated time and again until all have the opportunity to accept it.

Jesus is indeed “The reason for the season”, and there can be no other that can deliver tidings of joy, peace and the promised goodwill toward men that was given not by men, but by God himself.

In closure, I remain in prayer that the Way Truth and Life be proclaimed as the reason for the season, that all who are reachable be reached, all teachable taught, and that others may stand in the knowledge of and acceptance of that gift given as do I… simple sinner saved by grace through faith in both the gift and He who gives it, secure in the knowledge that it is eternal and not so transient as the many other things given this season.

I remain still. Wayfarer and soldier sojourning in a world that would deny that promise, proclaiming its availability to all who choose to accept.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

In the name of my Savior, God’s only begotten Son, Christ Jesus I ask His grace upon you and all who will accept it, asking also despite the shadows that hide His precious peace that it be given all as well. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

AMEN and Amen
the Wayfarer