Peace is a word that encompasses the story of Jesus’ birth. When the angels announced the good news of the birth of Christ to the shepherds in the field, they gave glory to God and proclaimed peace on earth. One of the beautiful prophecies about Jesus was that he would be called “Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6). Truly, the birth of Christ is good news because we have many times of conflict and trouble in our lives, our relationships, and throughout our world.
One story in the gospels that demonstrates Jesus’ power and ability to bring peace is when Jesus performs the miracle of calming a storm. Jesus and His disciples were on a boat when a storm arose, and the waves were crashing against the boat. The disciples were afraid, but Jesus was with them in the middle of that storm. Jesus said to the wind and the waves, “Peace, be still.” The wind died down, and it was completely calm. The disciples were amazed at this demonstration of power over nature.
We also have storms in our lives – conflicts in our relationships, troubles that surround us, and we feel uneasy because of the problems in the world. Even busyness can bring chaos that crashes in and leaves us feeling unbalanced. Jesus has the power to calm and bring peace to all of these times as we trust and follow Him. But trusting in Jesus doesn’t mean that we will live without conflict from this day forward. In fact, Jesus says, “In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus is bringing more than just release from conflict. Our world is not without sin and the consequences that sin brings. Jesus came to earth to bring reconciliation to God and to bring redemption from sin. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Shalom is best defined as being complete or whole. The good news of the birth of Christ is that God entered the world to make us whole. His name is also Emmanuel, which means God with us. Even in the middle of the storm, when chaos and conflict surround us, Jesus is present. We can find peace in our hearts because we know that Jesus has overcome. We can trust in the promise that we are made whole and live in a kingdom where Jesus rules as Prince of Peace.
Amy Givens, Director of Youth Ministry and Discipleship
