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Trust In Real Life

Jun 17th, 2011 by Amy

Problems.  They either get your heart pumping with adrenaline or bring weighty worry.

One thing that I am slow in learning, but growing in just the same, is trusting in the Lord no matter what my outside circumstances – or pending deadlines – look like.  God is always in control, and He has never let me down.  When real life happens, and it does quite frequently at my house, my go-to reaction oftentimes is fear and worry.  Immediately I wonder how we will pay for this, or how this interpersonal relationship will be restored, or how I’m going to break it to my kids that we are having Tortilla Casserole for dinner (their moans can be heard all over Portland).  I confess, I don’t always run to Jesus and His promises.  This is real life, and this is where rubber meets the road and we either act on what we say we believe or we let worry and fear monopolize our lives and drive us to despair.

We get to choose.  Trust in the Lord or freak out.

More and more I’m choosing trust.  Because there is no return for worry.  But there’s always a great blessing in trust.  God takes care of the real life stuff.  He provides.  He heals and restores.  And he gives grace to moms who have run out of creative dinner choices.  Trust brings hope and peace.  Worry brings fine lines and wrinkles.  I can’t afford Botox, so I think trust is a better way for me to go.

And here’s what Jesus says, His promise to us:

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the lilies of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

DSC04798

Trust in real life means God is in control of the practical things too, and freaking out is a waste of time and energy.  And Lord knows, I need all the energy I can get.

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Posted in Faith, Grace, Life, Ministry, Motherhood | No Comments »

Remove Your Veil

Jun 2nd, 2011 by Amy

“We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

Recently my friends and I were discussing this scripture.  Each one of us expressing its impact on our lives and our varying perspectives on it.  Our conversation inspired and challenged me to dig a little deeper.

The veil in this scripture is not an actual veil – Paul is speaking figuratively.  What he is referring to is the mind of the unbelieving Jew who lives with impaired vision and understanding.  They are hard, unreceptive, stonelike.  There is a resistance to the truth of Yeshua.  In the time of Moses the presence of God was hidden behind a veil.  And the unbelieving Jew still lives behind that veil.

The writer of the Jewish New Testament Commentary cites the use of “Adonai” in this text – which is not in this text, but what he believes to be Paul’s sense – means “Spirit”.  He goes on to write:

Where the Spirit of Adonai is, there is freedom to function within the framework of Torah without being enslaved by it.  And thus all of us, not just Paul and his co-workers, but all believers, with faces unveiled, with open hearts, not stonelike but sincere and unclouded, see as in a mirror the glory of Adonai, and we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by Adonai the Spirit.  This is how the Spirit “gives life”.

This excites me.  When Jesus Christ came, so did the fulfillment of the law.  Where once we had to enter into the presence of God hidden behind a veil, we can now enter his presence with unveiled faces.  When Christ died the veil in the Temple was torn in two.  The significance of that amazes me.  There are no barriers to entering the presence of God.  And it is the Holy Spirit that brings this revelation.  It is the Spirit that removes the veil from our faces and brings clarity and understanding.

I was driving to meet some friends for dinner this past week and happened to look over at the car next to me as we stood still at a red light.  The woman driving the car was a Muslim.  Her face was almost completely hidden behind her head covering.  In fact, her veil was so prominent that I couldn’t even make out the shape of her profile.  Every part of her face, except for the eyes, was covered.  I thought of this scripture.  I thought of how many of us walk around blind and covered up to the truth of Jesus Christ.  We are driving through life, believing in the restrictions and distortions of false hope and religion, our hearts hardened to the truth.  We have yet to see clearly.

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

Even as the veil drops, we have yet to see fully the magnificence of God.  On earth we can only comprehend so much…we can only see in part, but one day we will see everything.  “But when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” (vs. 10) What we have now is an imperfect awareness of God’s glory, but when Christ returns the imperfection will disappear, and perfection will be fully known.

I wish I could have encouraged the woman in the car next to me that she doesn’t need a veil to enter into God’s presence.  The veil was removed when Christ died for her sins.  But I didn’t get the opportunity to share this with her.  The light eventually turned green, and we drove our separate ways.

I hope and pray that you will see clearly, that if you have been wearing a veil out of fear or stubborn rebellion you would allow the Holy Spirit to soften your heart to the truth.  You don’t have to live bound up behind a veil.  You can have freedom.  You can have life.  You can know Jesus.  You can remove your veil.

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Royalty

Apr 29th, 2011 by Amy

The feeling of anticipation was palpable.  Prince Charles was coming to Kenya.  I was barely a teenager then, but I remember it well: the buzz, the excitement, the “I wonder if I’ll catch a brief glimpse of royalty?” type feelings.  So it was not surprising when my dad came home for dinner with a royal story that still brings a smile to my face.

Errands needed to be run.  On a day when the long-awaited Prince Charles was scheduled to arrive, running errands in Nairobi – which in and of itself is a daunting task – proved to be torturous.  As my dad, and fellow missionary, made their way to the final stretch home, crowds of students, mothers, fathers, business men and curious bystanders began to fill the small marketplace and spill into the street.  There was no penetrating this human wall waiting for the Prince.  And then my dad had a brilliant idea.  He told his friend to crawl into the back seat of his Peugeot, crack the window and start waving when when he began to toot his horn.  With darkened windows, and a freshly washed car, they hoped to convince the crowd that somebody special was driving through.  As my dad turned the corner and began blasting his horn, the missionary in the back seat started waving in very royal-like fashion.  The crowd parted like the Red Sea.  An eruption of praise and excitement rippled through the street – people jumping, singing and rejoicing – as two missionaries drove down Mumias Road.

I have been sitting in my living room watching the footage of the royal nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton this morning.  I have gasped with awe, smiled in romantic approval and shed a slight tear at the regality of it all.  What an incredible moment as a young woman – a simple commoner – becomes a Princess – becomes royalty.

When I was a very young girl I sat on my mom’s lap and asked Jesus to come into my life and be my Savior.  In that moment, years ago, I went from being a simple commoner to significant royalty.

In my ugly blue robe and mess of bed-head, I am a princess.  My title is not an earthly one, but an eternal one.

I am royalty.  And so are you!  Smile like you know it, walk like you mean it.  Toot your horn and wave like crazy.  You are no longer a commoner.  You belong to the King!

Posted in Africa, Faith | 1 Comment »

In The Beginning

Mar 24th, 2011 by Amy

Adam and Eve.  Theirs was truly a life to be envied.  Can you imagine walking and talking with God in the cool of the day?  Can you imagine the lushness and beauty of the Garden of Eden?  What must it have been like to be fully exposed, naked, and unashamed?  Their relationship with God and each other was one of perfection.  Can you imagine?  It was a perfect world.

And then sin entered the picture.  Truth was distorted.  Deceit and empty promises enticed.  Eve chose first and Adam followed.  And what was pure and perfect, lovely and whole, became shrouded in shame and disgrace.

The first thing they noticed once their eyes were opened was their nakedness.  They scrambled to cover themselves up – to cover up their shame, to hide and withdraw.  Sad.  This wasn’t what God intended, but in his love he gave them the freedom to choose.  And they chose.

When God found them – he is a God who pursues – he noticed their efforts to clothe themselves.  He was disappointed and, dare I say, heartbroken.  The freedom to be bare and completely known was gone.  There were severe consequences for these actions, and we are still dealing with them today.  And yet, even as God brought firm discipline to Adam and Eve for their disobedience, he extended grace.  God made garments for them, out of skin, and clothed them.  He knew the curse of sin that now entered the world, and he knew the shame that they would carry as a result of their sin, and so out of love he graciously clothed them and covered up their shame.

We have stuff.  We have pain.  We carry around our ugliness, our insecurities and our pasts – each one of us.  But most of us are pretty good and hiding behind our fig leaves.  We cover up our shame through good deeds, nice clothes, success, and lots of Bible knowledge.  We are terrified to let anyone see our nakedness.  But God sees.  He knows.  He longs, not to hide our sin, but to cover our sin with his grace.  While he isn’t in the business of making animal print pencil skirts and blouses, he is in the business of restoring and covering our sin with his perfect love and undeserved grace.  When Christ died on the cross he did so in order to bring this story of redemption full circle.  He covered Adam and Eve’s physical nakedness in the Garden, but now we are covered completely in his blood.

This is good.  Shame and confusion, hiding and fear, are the things that initially drove Adam and Eve away from God.  God pursued and exposed, and then he clothed them.  He is doing the same thing today.  He gives us freedom to choose.  He gives us room to make the unwise choice, but he also guarantees that his love is big enough, strong enough, and complete enough to gently expose our shame, and then cover us with His grace.

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Eternity Is Closer Than We Think

Mar 20th, 2011 by Amy

Last week an Ethiopian church planter was martyred, a wife and four children left without a husband and father.  A friend of mine miscarried her baby.  My grandfather passed away only a few days ago.  And we are all aware of the recent tragedy in Japan.  This has had me thinking about eternity.  Life after death.  What am I living for?

There is something profound that takes place when a loved one dies or tragedy strikes.  We are compelled to stop and think about what comes next.  As a Christian my thoughts linger upon eternity.  The reality that earth is not my forever home sinks in deep within my soul, and I find that these earthly worries – material distractions, how my hair looks and what I’m wearing – quickly fade into the background.  Suddenly my heart is drawn to the number one purpose of my existence, and that is God.  The hope that the cross gives us.  The grace that God has so lavishly poured out upon my life.  And the promise of heaven that awaits me.

I heard someone say that we can create “heaven here on earth.”  My inner response to this disillusioned statement is that earth is corrupt and sinful, messy and painful.  Earth is not eternal.  And I’m not living for earth.  I’m not looking forward to “heaven on earth”.  I’m looking heavenward to eternity with Jesus Christ.  Where there will be no more sorrow.  No more pain.  No more heartache.  No more prejudice.  No more fear.  No more sin.  This…THIS is what I am living for.  This is what that precious pastor in Ethiopia died for.  This is where my grandfather now walks and runs and sings.  This is where my friend’s tiny unborn child waits for her mother.

And eternity is closer than we think.  Beth Moore talks about our “ten minutes on earth”.  Our lives are a mere breath.  A snapshot in time.  Our moment is very brief here on planet earth.  Eternity is literally a heartbeat away.  Are we ready for it?

I want to be ready.  I want Jesus to say to me when I enter eternity, “Well done, Amy.  Well done.”  Until that time there is much to do.  Giving God my life.  Serving him and representing Jesus to a lost world.  Speaking TRUTH in LOVE.  Aware of and meeting the needs here in the present, but always looking upward to a better future.  And as my seven-year-old daughter would say, “We gotta love God like we mean it!”

Jesus.  How I so desperately need him, cling to him and know that this beautiful life beyond death was only made possible through his sacrifice on the cross.  I can’t repay that.  But I can give him my life.  I can do my best to point others to Him.  To point others toward eternity – to hope.  To Jesus.

Eternity is closer than we think.

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Out Of Poverty

Feb 12th, 2011 by Amy

She didn’t have anything.  She was probably all crumpled up with tender joints and dim with age.  Her posture low due to her poverty and humility.  She was the poorest of the poor.  And yet…she gave out of her nothing and gave God everything.

I haven’t been able to get this poor widow woman from Mark 12 out of my mind for the past week.  “She gave out of her poverty.” We have no concept of what poverty really looks like or feels like.

When I was a little girl growing up in Kenya, we would drive by a very large slum area every single day on our way to school.  The stench was unbearable, and the filth unimaginable.  There were no satellite dishes or television antenna poking out from the sea of flat roofs and tin structures.  There was nothing but mud, manure, mounds of garbage, and smokey charcoal fires.  This is poverty.

I know what it’s like when finances are tight.  There have been many times when we’ve had to cut back on our spending and watch every penny.  But the poverty I witnessed in Kenya is something I will never identify with.

Mark 12:41-44

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.  Many rich people threw in large amounts.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.”

There is a great deal of conviction in that passage of Scripture.  Giving out of poverty.  My heart is aching.  How much of my life have I given to Christ?  How much priority do I give to the eternal, and what place do material things have in my little world?  Have I given so much of myself that it hurts?  Can I say that my day has been well spent?  Is the source of my security in how much I have here on earth, or in the steadfast faithfulness of God?  What am I attached to?

The poor widow had nothing of material wealth, and yet she still gave.  The things of this world meant nothing to her.  Her life was more than her current circumstances.  Her priority was God, and giving him everything, knew her source was not in the copper coins, but in her creator.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

When we give out of our poverty God sees, and he is honored.

I wonder if perhaps Jesus is not simply implying monetary poverty, but spiritual and emotional poverty as well?  What if his message in this little blip of history is that he is not impressed when we give ourselves out of our natural giftings and comfort zones, but when we give of ourselves beyond what we have naturally or comfortably?  I think God is more interested in a heart that is completely dependent upon him, and willing to give, even when there is nothing left to spend.  I think God is not impressed so much with how beautiful the gift is, but how beautiful is the heart of the giver.

I feel challenged to take my eyes off of the natural, off of those things I can see and touch, and begin allowing God to lead and direct my steps, even if he takes me outside of my comfort zone.  I believe he wants us to give ourselves out of our most impoverished parts.  Because when we give out of our nothing, we give God our everything.


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Bitterness Does Not Become You

Feb 6th, 2011 by Amy

Herodias wanted John the Baptist’s head on a platter.  She was an angry woman spurred on by the cancer of bitterness that permeated her entire being.  The NIV says she “nursed a grudge.”  She was not only offended by John’s confrontation of her sin, but she invested time and energy into nursing her wound and allowing her grudge to grow and metastasize.  Which ultimately ended in a head, literally, on a platter.

Bitterness is unbecoming.  It is ugliness personified.

I’m going to speculate that each one of us has been either confronted by the truth and didn’t like it very much, and found our feelings for our confronter to be less than warm, or we’ve been hurt deeply by someone, knowingly or unknowingly, and the pain of that wound has transformed into anger and mistrust.

Being confronted with a sin in our lives is uncomfortable, at best.  None of us wants to hear the truth from someone we love and respect, or hear a sermon that pinches just a little too hard.  It’s downright painful.  Even so, the bitterness that stems from this pain is wasted.  Seriously.  Confess your sins and God is faithful to forgive.  Then move on.  It is pride that makes us hold on to our grudge for dear life.

On the other hand, being hurt by someone is not the same thing.  Whether or not the blow was intentional, pain is pain, and it’s very difficult to simply forgive and get over it.  Bitterness is almost understandable.  However, it is still bitterness, and left unresolved, leads to death.  A nursed grudge over time becomes anger.  And anger leads us to do things we would never fathom doing in our right mind.

Herodias wanted to kill John the Baptist, but she couldn’t, at least not yet.  Eventually she found a way.  She not only succeeded in killing John, but she brought her daughter into her bitterness too.

Mark 6:22-28

When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.  The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.”  and he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”  She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”  ”The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.  At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”  The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.  So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head.  The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter.  He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.

The Message translation describes Herodias as a woman “smoldering with hate.”  When I read this passage I was immediately convicted of the petty grievances I have held on to.  We are so easily offended, are we not?  We blindly get caught up in our offenses that we forget how to work things out with each other (Matthew 18:15-20).  Whether or not our pain is justified, bitterness never is.  It always lands back in our own laps.  I’ve been hurt, rightly or wrongly, so what am I going to do with this?  Am I going to allow bitterness to fester inside, and eventually spill out onto my children?  Am I willing to let the light within me die out?

God is aware of our pain.  He isn’t demanding something from us that he hasn’t already experienced.  He died so we wouldn’t have to.  He forgave us so that we would know how to forgive others.  I’ll be honest, I don’t want to end up like Herodias.  I don’t want my legacy to say, “Amy went down smoldering with hate.”  I want to be a beautiful testimony of grace and forgiveness, love and compassion.  I can’t be that and hold a grudge at the same time.

And what about you?  Have you been confronted lately and you would like nothing more than to see a head on a platter?  Or have you been hurt by someone, and all you want is to see them suffer the way you feel you have suffered?  Either way, bitterness does not become you.  Don’t nurse the grudge.  Do something productive with your pain.  Confess your sin, if you have sinned, and get on with your life.  Or confront that person who has hurt you, seek out reconciliation and get on with your life.

Don’t hold on to your grudge…hold on to freedom.

Posted in Faith, Grace, Ministry | 1 Comment »

The Calm

Jan 31st, 2011 by Amy

Matthew 26 and 27 convey the story of Christ’s betrayal and crucifixion.  I was just reading these two chapters last week and was struck by all the chaos surrounding Christ in those final hours of his life.  An angry mob was screaming for his death.  His disciples scattered in fear and terror.  Peter, the rock, stung by the reality of his denial, found himself a broken man.  Caesar’s wife- disturbed by a dream- tried to persuade her husband to distance himself from this drama.  The world was coming unhinged.

And where was Jesus?  Standing quietly in the center of it all- Bearing the weight of his destiny, the sting of a thorny crown upon his head, and staring at the road of sorrow that lie ahead.

My mind wandered back to the time when Jesus and his disciples were on a boat.  A storm raging all around, the disciples were convinced they would drown.  Fear gripped them as a furious squall rose up, and they cried out to Jesus.

Where was he?  Wasn’t he aware of the gravity of the situation?  Lives were at stake.  Hope was awash in the swirl of violent waves.  Where was Jesus?  Sleeping.

Mark 4:38-40

The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet!  Be Still!”  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?”

Sometimes Jesus calms the storm.  Sometimes he is simply the calm in the midst of the storm.  Either way, I believe he would say to us when the winds of uncertainty, fear, and trouble blow through our lives, “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?”

Christ prayed three times that God would change his destiny.  Three times he cried out for a different way.  And each time he relinquished his will and surrendered to that of his Father.  Death and separation from God was terrifying to Jesus, and if there could be an easier way to atone for the sins of the world, he would have gladly traded his cup in for a new one.  But deep down he knew that there could be no other way.  There could be no other sacrifice.  His death was our only hope.  And as he stood in the midst of the chaos and confusion, his heart was at peace because he knew this was not the end.  Victory was just beyond his death.  He was at peace with his destiny.  And he was the calm in eye of the storm.

God knows the purpose for each storm we experience.  Sometimes he hears our cries and speaks to the wind and rain and saves us from capsizing.  Other times he remains quiet.  He doesn’t stop the storm, but allows it to fully envelop our lives- and in some cases-  bring death.  He hasn’t left us, and he isn’t intending evil or harm to us, but he knows what we have yet to know.  He sees the victory after death.  He knows the path to freedom, peace, and true faith will only come through the pain of persecution, sorrow, and death.

And he never leaves us.  He never turns his face from us.  He is right there in the middle of all the chaos.  He is the calm in our storm.

Isaiah 43:1-2

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and you pass through the rivers will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Posted in Faith, Grace | 1 Comment »

It’s Been A Good One…

Dec 20th, 2010 by Amy

family2010

I could hear the squeals and giggles traveling down the hallway this morning.  The kids were awake on their first day of Christmas break.  Joel offered to get up and take care of breakfast.  I started thinking about making the coffee.  Then, before we jumped up to start the day, we remembered that my parents were downstairs ready to attend to the needs of our children.  Relieved, we rolled over and drifted back to sleep.

As I lay there, eyes closed, I began to reflect on the past year.  My thoughts lingered upon, and recounted,  all the blessings God has poured out on my family.  As the list grew, tears filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks.  Overwhelmed by his graciousness, his faithfulness, and his mercy, I whispered a faint “Thank you” to the One who has made all things complete.  To the One who heard my spoken and unspoken prayers and pleas – to the One who heard the heart behind my words – and turned his ear to me.

One year ago I struggled to find joy in the season.  I found peace and contentment in the One to whom the season belongs, but there was nothing extraordinary that marked the passing year.  Thankful for God’s faithfulness, I wrapped up the year realizing that God was good even without a lot of fan-fair and magic.  Looking ahead to 2010, I honestly had no big expectations.  I never dreamed that so much could change in one year.

One year ago, I was simply grateful for the mercy and grace God extended to me.  A year later, I continue to be grateful for God’s mercy and grace.  This year, however, I have seen that God not only gives us joy in difficulties, or hope in dire circumstances, but he also seasons our lives with moments of unbridled happiness.

Happiness oftentimes gets a bad wrap because it is contingent upon our circumstances.  We are taught that the joy of the Lord is of greater value than fleeting moments of happiness.  Yet, this year has revealed to me something quite contrary.  God allows us to feel happy…genuinely happy…because he is that kind of loving Father.  He allows us to go through hard times, difficult seasons, and painful experiences, so that the depth of our faith is substantial and sound, and our joy is complete in God and God alone.  However, he doesn’t forget that a dose of happiness every now and then is as equally satisfying and fulfilling as a joyful disposition.  When my kids wake up on Christmas morning, eyes bulging from the pile of gifts and treasures under our tree, I take great delight in their uninhibited happiness.  God is the same way.  When happy moments come, and we enjoy them fully, I believe he, too, sits back and smiles with delight.

This year, I am feeling overwhelmed with not only the peace that passes understanding that God has poured into my heart, but I am bursting at the seams with sheer happiness.  God has not only satisfied my needs this year, but he has also satisfied the desires of my heart.  Today I am reflecting upon and enjoying these happy moments.

One year.  One God.  One moment to say thank you to the One from whom ALL blessings flow.

Posted in Faith, Grace, Life, Ministry | 1 Comment »

Peace On Earth

Dec 7th, 2010 by Amy

We decorated for Christmas last week.  In my mind I had envisioned Nat King Cole’s Christmas album playing in the background, the scent of hot apple cider wafting through the house, and my darling children giggling with excitement as I handed them their tree ornaments to place – gingerly – upon our tree.  I wanted to take pictures.  I wanted to document this marvelous moment of family bonding for all the world to see.

Needless to say, as boxes whizzed by my head and poor baby Jesus lost his swaddle, Christmas decorating at my house was a hurricane of garland, bows and nativity scenes.  Our tree now sits at a lovely 45 degree angle.  Once little hands were added to the holiday decorating mix it was all over.  A Christmas whirlwind blew through my home.  And I survived.  Without pictures.

Christmas is marvelous, with or without the warm fuzzy daydreams of a hopeful mom.  It is that time of year when anticipation and wonder fills the hearts and minds of children and adults alike.  We believe in miracles.  We believe in peace on earth.  But…the holiday, the festivities, the lights and carols only create a temporary illusion of peace.  When December is over, and down come the tinsel and garland, the magic evaporates into thin air.

And then…for those seeking inner peace, joy, and happiness…what comes next?  Perhaps a New Year’s party?  Or spring vacation and a week at the beach?  Or maybe buying something new?  Something to fill the void of the soul.  A void that will grow deeper and wider with time.  And no matter how much we search for peace in those fleeting moments of perfection, the void remains.

If we can point to a thing, a place, a person or day and give it credit for peace, then we are hanging our hopes on things that will vanish or disappoint us.  And always, we will be left with a longing.

Peace doesn’t come wrapped up with a bow.  Peace, as much as I’d like to believe, doesn’t last in a picture perfect family moment.  Peace isn’t about moments at all.  Peace - the kind that surpasses understanding, circumstances, financial strain, sickness, or death - comes from Jesus.  As long as we are searching the world over for those tiny peeks at joy and happiness we will miss knowing a Savior who doesn’t necessarily shield us from life, but steadies and holds us up through the storm.  Peace on earth begins with peace on the inside.  And that peace comes from Jesus Christ.

As I wake up on these short days in December, before my family has regained consciousness from their warm, winter’s slumber, I snuggle into my little spot in front of my perfectly crooked Christmas tree.  I treasure the fact that not all moments in my life will be peaceful.  But I know I can have peace in every moment that I live.  Centered in the peace that passes understanding.

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace on earth.

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