Advent: Dec. 20 // When Peace Was Lost

For me, peace is something that is hard to come by. I have twin 5-year-old boys and a 9-year-old daughter. One of the few times I get peace is that couple of hours between their bedtimes and mine. It’s very nice, but that peace ends the next morning when I hear them yelling from their bed, “Can we come in your room?”

The thought of having a feeling of peace constantly — like all the time — that seems impossible, but it happened with Adam and Eve. In the first two chapters of Genesis, they are living in such peace and completeness. No fear or worry. I would say that they were living the dream... until chapter 3. That peace was broken when they disobeyed God, and the rest is, literally, history. 

Romans 5:12 says:

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,
and death through sin, in this way death spread to all
people, because all sinned.

Because of their disobedience, sin entered the world. That sense of peace was now harder to come by. Now we had to deal with death, pain and oppression. The world was in a darker place. I know what you’re thinking. This isn’t a very uplifting devotional, Adam... I know. But here is where things get hopeful. 

Isaiah 9:6 says this:

For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  

Did you know that Isaiah wrote these verses centuries before Jesus was born? At that time, Isaiah was anticipating a king that would put an end to all of the turmoil and oppression and bring peace and joy to the world. Of course, Jesus was that king, and that prophecy was fulfilled. 

I can’t wait for the day when Christ comes back and makes all things new again, creating a new heaven and earth, reestablishing what God created in the beginning — a place of peace. Until then, we have an opportunity to prioritize peace within ourselves and those around us. 

I admit that this is hard for me to do. My life is hectic. I have a family with crazy schedules. I have a job that I love but can feel non-stop. And I know I’m not the only one. It is very hard to find peace in our lives, but I encourage all of us to find those little cracks.

For me, it’s sitting on my back porch reading or kayaking on Cheat Lake. These are opportunities for me to find peace from the craziness of life, but it’s also a time for me to hear from God and to be reminded that He is the source of all peace.

Let's take advantage of those cracks, because the more we widen them in our own lives, the more we can extend that peace to those around us.

Peace // When Peace was Lost | Adam Etris