December 21

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. … Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.
–Luke 2:11,14
It’s hard to imagine a time when peace did not exist. But when we look back on that first Christmas, it was a time in history that was filled with despair. The peace that God created in the Garden of Eden had been broken.
But then, at long last, the Savior of the world arrived. The One who would change everything. The Prince of Peace.
The Greek word used in the New Testament for peace is eirene (pronounced “i-ray-nay”), meaning quietness, rest, completeness.
Is there anything more peaceful than the flawless perfection of a newborn? Is there a more wondrous way that God could have introduced peace back into the world than through a
brand new baby?
There are many places where we can find a sense of peace… I can find it in a good cup of coffee in the quiet of the morning, or while staring out into the crashing waves of the ocean. But the biblical concept of eirene, or peace, is much deeper than that. It indicates inner satisfaction, contentment and true human flourishing… when things are as God intended. There is only one source of this type of peace the Bible speaks of… It’s the one that Mary marveled in on that first Christmas night.
–Luke 2:11,14
It’s hard to imagine a time when peace did not exist. But when we look back on that first Christmas, it was a time in history that was filled with despair. The peace that God created in the Garden of Eden had been broken.
But then, at long last, the Savior of the world arrived. The One who would change everything. The Prince of Peace.
The Greek word used in the New Testament for peace is eirene (pronounced “i-ray-nay”), meaning quietness, rest, completeness.
Is there anything more peaceful than the flawless perfection of a newborn? Is there a more wondrous way that God could have introduced peace back into the world than through a
brand new baby?
There are many places where we can find a sense of peace… I can find it in a good cup of coffee in the quiet of the morning, or while staring out into the crashing waves of the ocean. But the biblical concept of eirene, or peace, is much deeper than that. It indicates inner satisfaction, contentment and true human flourishing… when things are as God intended. There is only one source of this type of peace the Bible speaks of… It’s the one that Mary marveled in on that first Christmas night.
There is only one source of this type of peace the Bible speaks of
Luke 2:15-18 describes the shepherds coming to see the miraculous child the angels told them about. Then they went to spread the good news! But Mary? She sat in awe of her newborn son.
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them
in her heart,” we read in Luke 2:19.
As the world moved about, Mary took the time to delight in the fulfillment of God’s promise to her nine months before. I imagine that, in that moment, all her worry, pain and anxiety were swept away by the peace that lay snuggled in her arms. She soaked it all in, sitting still in the wonder that was before her.
This verse about Mary makes her very relatable. She was simply a new mom, with all the same fears, hopes, anticipation and excitement that we all experience when becoming parents.
Like Mary, I had a child at Christmastime. And I can still remember the perfect peace I felt when I looked into my newborn daughter's eyes. I knew she was God’s gift to me, and I could see His reflection in her innocent little soul.
But it didn't take long for the chaos of life to take its hold and take away that perfect peace. Because we live in a broken world, peace isn't always easy to come by... The struggles of life can overwhelm us.
This Christmas season, you may be struggling to find peace. Maybe you’re longing for something in your life, something you’re sure will bring you happiness. But I encourage you today to remember that there is only One who can provide complete peace…
Mary may have been an ordinary woman, like you and me, but the child who laid in her arms that first Christmas night was an extraordinary being, unlike any before or after Him. Because Mary’s child was also her Savior… our Savior! He came to offer us all peace and hope in this broken world. He is the Prince of Peace! And if we place our faith in Him, whether our earthly desires come to pass or not, we will find ourselves with a kind of inner peace that makes no earthly sense.
Will you let Him be your source of peace?
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them
in her heart,” we read in Luke 2:19.
As the world moved about, Mary took the time to delight in the fulfillment of God’s promise to her nine months before. I imagine that, in that moment, all her worry, pain and anxiety were swept away by the peace that lay snuggled in her arms. She soaked it all in, sitting still in the wonder that was before her.
This verse about Mary makes her very relatable. She was simply a new mom, with all the same fears, hopes, anticipation and excitement that we all experience when becoming parents.
Like Mary, I had a child at Christmastime. And I can still remember the perfect peace I felt when I looked into my newborn daughter's eyes. I knew she was God’s gift to me, and I could see His reflection in her innocent little soul.
But it didn't take long for the chaos of life to take its hold and take away that perfect peace. Because we live in a broken world, peace isn't always easy to come by... The struggles of life can overwhelm us.
This Christmas season, you may be struggling to find peace. Maybe you’re longing for something in your life, something you’re sure will bring you happiness. But I encourage you today to remember that there is only One who can provide complete peace…
Mary may have been an ordinary woman, like you and me, but the child who laid in her arms that first Christmas night was an extraordinary being, unlike any before or after Him. Because Mary’s child was also her Savior… our Savior! He came to offer us all peace and hope in this broken world. He is the Prince of Peace! And if we place our faith in Him, whether our earthly desires come to pass or not, we will find ourselves with a kind of inner peace that makes no earthly sense.
Will you let Him be your source of peace?
Peace // Prince of Peace | Melissa Parker

Recent
Archive
2023
January
February
2022
January
February
March
April
Prayer Plan // April 2022Famous Last Words - Part 3 [Devo]Day 1 - Triumphal Entry // Holy WeekDay 2 - Cleansing the Temple // Holy WeekDay 3 - Last Supper // Holy WeekDay 4 - Jesus in the Garden // Holy WeekDay 5 - Barabbas // Holy WeekDay 6 - The Cross // Holy WeekDay 7 - Jesus in the Tomb // Holy WeekDay 8 - Resurrection // Holy WeekFinding Purpose - Part 1 [Notes]Finding Purpose - Part 1 [Devo]
May
June
Baptism Sunday [Devo]Prayer Plan // June 2022Face to Face - Part 1 [Notes]Finding Purpose, Part 5 [Devo]Face to Face - Part 2 [Notes]Face to Face - Part 1 [Devo]Face to Face - Part 3 [Notes]Face to Face - Part 2 [Devo]Face to Face - Part 3 [Devo]Face to Face - Part 4 [Notes]Face to Face - Part 4 [Devo]
July
Face to Face - Part 5 [Notes]Prayer Plan // July 2022Face to Face - Part 5 [Devo]Face to Face - Part 6 [Notes]Face to Face - Part 6 [Devo]Face to Face - Part 7 [Notes]Put Down The Gavel // DevotionalFace to Face - Part 8 [Notes]Out of the Darkness// Face to Face, Part 8 [Devo]Face to Face - Part 9 [Notes]
August
Prayer Plan // August 2022Walk the Walk // Face to Face, Part 9 [Devo]MOVE UP Sunday // 2022Art of Neighboring - Part 1 [Notes]Won't You Be My Neighbor // Art of Neighboring, Part 1 [Devo]Art of Neighboring - Part 2 [Notes]Southern Hospitality // Art of Neighboring, Part 2 [Devo]Immovable - Part 1 [Notes]The Bible Is True // Immovable, Part 1 [Devo]Immovable - Part 2 [Notes]
Categories
Tags
1 Timothy 4:3-4
1 corinthians 13
3 tips
Barb
Christ
Control
God's will
God\'s will
God\\\'s will
God\\\\\\\'s will
Gods voice
Gods will
Isaiah 41
James 1:22
James 4:14
Jesus
Romans 6:9
Significant Others
You Say
abandon
abby conner
acts 1:8
acts
adam etris
adam
adulteror
advent
andrew archer
andrew
angels sing
anguish
appreciation
archer
arch
art of neighboring
attributes
austin michels
austin
baptism
barabbas
barb barnhart
barnhart
be still
betrayal
better
be
brandy gibson
brandy
bruce lane
bruce
carols
christmas
circles
colossians 1:13
concentric circles
connection
cross
crowd
death
delaney
devotional
discernment
doers
do
easter
elderly
ephesians5:21
eternal life
eternal security
eternity
etris
exhausted
extended family
face to face
faith
family
famous last words
forgiveness
forgiven
forsaken
freedom
free
garden of gethsemane
generosity
generous
gibson
gifts
gloria
good works
gospel
grace hill
grace
grateful
groups
haring
he has come
heaven
hell
hill
holy week
homecoming
hope
huggins
ian young
ian
identity
immovable
in all things
in christ
jamie huggins
jamie
jill wargo
jill
john 8:1-11
john
josh rhodes
josh
joy
judas
judgemental
judge
katie lemley
katie
key relationships
kim sheets
kim
lane
last supper
legacy
lemley
light of the world
light
listening
love
luke 10:42
luke 23:34
made new
marriage
martha
matthew 22:37-39
matthew 6:3-4
melissa parker
melissa
michelle lemley
michelle trimmer
michelle
michels
new family
new year
new
o holy night
parenting
parents
parent
parker
peace
people
philippians
point
prayer plan
prayer
pray
purpose
quality time
read
recreated
relationships
religious leaders
resurrection
rhodes
roger sealey
roger
romans 12:12
romans
salvation
sealey
secure
selfish
separation
serve
serving others
serving
set free
shame
share the gospel
sheets
sing
sin
speak
spiritual gifts
spiritual leaders
still
strained
submit
take time
thanksgiving
thanks
the plot
tim haring
tim
trimmer
two lies and the truth
ukraine
unclean
victorious
victory
volunteer
wargo
who am i
who i am
who we are
work
worry
young