Listen

Lord, you’ve been kind to your land; you’ve changed Jacob’s circumstances for the better. You’ve forgiven your people’s wrongdoing; you’ve covered all their sins. Selah

Psalm 85:1-2

Think

This morning begins the second week of Advent… only 15 days until Christmas! It’s hard to believe; and yet, if we look around, all the signs of the season are there. Right?

The holiday season arrives with beloved songs, decorations, and events – familiar, comforting, exciting symbols. However, the symbols themselves do not necessarily bring peace. The signs of the season are at their best when they point us toward God’s most enduring promises.

In Psalm 85, the Psalmist affirms God’s promise to bring peace, no matter the season. God’s kindness to the land affirms God’s care for creation and understanding of creation’s great needs. And the God who cared for Jacob and the land cares just as much for you and me.

As we move through Advent and look for God’s promise of peace, we can find ways to allow the outward symbols to inspire an inward assurance and comfort. May the sights and sounds of the holidays point us both to the energy of the holidays and also to the God of Peace this season celebrates.

Chris Aho

Question to Ponder:

Can you remember a time when you felt God’s promise of peace even though the things around you didn’t exactly point to that?

Pray

God of Hope and Peace, as I move through this holiday season, help me see the decorations and symbols of the season as reminders of the peace that comes through the love of the Savior.

Amen.

Go

Practice what you have received… and the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

adapted from Philippians 4:7, 9

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