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December 22, 2005
peace on earth
that's a holiday message that can be substituted for the somewhat banal "season's greetings" that's PC enough to not offend any celebrator of end-of-year festivities. it's a universal human longing: for peace and not conflict; for harmony and not dissidence; for coming together, not tearing apart. as the advent season tumbles forward, ever closer to Christmas Day, i ask myself what i'm doing to bring peace to my little corner of earth. it's not easy, especially when wild-eyed victims of holiday stress drive around parking lots and the freeways like crazy monkeys who had way too much crabby-nog.
the famous advent passage of Scripture, the prophecy about Christ's birth from the Hebrew prophet Isaiah, is usually quoted beginning with the familiar words "For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given." (you fellow Messiah fans, i know you just started to sing along with me, didn't you?)
but we rarely hear the context of this promise -- listen to these powerful words of hope in the verse just before:
Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
as much as war, violence, threats, and terror are much on the minds of every nation, they are also on the mind of the compassionate Lord whose coming we'll celebrate in a few days. God is fully recognizant of the reality of war and blood and even the violence and noise of our own personal battles -- and He promises that one day, all the carnage and mayhem and detritus from our struggles will become a mighty blaze in the flames of peace.
mixed metaphor? certainly. the prophecy concludes that the Son's name would be called (Messiah fans, please resume singing!)
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government
and peace there will be no end.
it's a promise worth holding on to in these uncertain days. it's a promise worth remembering as i strive to extend peace to those around me, even the ones who cut me off on the freeway.
Posted by hadashi at December 22, 2005 12:58 PM
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