The Gift of Peace

"Let there be peace on earth." The Christmas season seems to bring with it the hope for a lasting peace in our lives and in the world. We long for a world where the wars and conflicts are over. More than this, we want a lasting peace and wholeness in our own lives. Yet, we wake up and the news each day is a reminder that this sort of peace is illusive. The truth is, the conflict in the world is a result if the wrecked nature of our inner lives. Our core problem is that we are born enemies of God, deserving His wrath, and the broken relationship with God has left us with broken relationships with ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Yet, Jesus was born as the Prince of Peace and brings with Him the promise that we can be reconciled to God and that the fragmented mess of our lives can have peace and wholeness restored because Jesus came.