Christmas can be exhausting. It’s only the second week of December, and I’m already close to burn out. I’ve got the house decorated and some gifts planned, some purchased, and some paused. Wherever you are in this holiday season, I hope you find a few moments each day to rest and let the presence of God and the promises of his word refresh your soul. He is the only way to get through the season and not be completely derailed by bargains, treats, traditions, can’t misses, and this year–shipping delays! His word remains true today and the promises we need are tucked away here and there as we take a breath and pray his prayer.
Today, my reading’s focus took me to a verse in Isaiah. Among the recounting of the Lord’s promises to his children, of the Lord’s judgment of continuous disobedience, we see him gently lift our heads and look to the future. Amid the chaos, he shows us the way forward, the way home. He says, “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace” (Isaiah 54:13). This simple verse may be overlooked in the midst of some heavy passages and ethereal images of the promised future. We read about the ruby walls and ancient cities fortified. We miss the wisdom and sheer utilitarian practicality of so many verses. Peace often seems unattainable as we “worry our prayers.”
Intellectually as believers we know the only way to have perfect peace is to follow the Lord and rest in his work and his promises. On this side of eternity, most of us are not going to consistently walk in that peace. We are not going to choose the offering of the perfect peace that he generously gives. As we wander away and come home to his word and his love over and over, we practice. We practice believing that peace is actually attainable. We practice coming home to a life where we can be at peace this time of year. We know trusting in his promises doesn’t make our problems disappear, and we can’t hide from them, but we can face them with peace. Moving one step forward, then another, as we follow his guidance we find rest for weary travelers.
So, as you stare at the Rubbermaid bin in your living room with all the ornaments and Christmas goodies, know that peace remains available to you. You don’t have to let our modern Christmas season fill your spirit with stress over ornaments and things. Let yourself be refreshed, to have peace, filled with the word. Before you untangle those lights, take a minute and with deep breaths and prayer, meditate on his gracious gift of peace this season. The Prince of Peace came for you.
