Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Twenty-Two: Our Hope is Jesus, Prince of Peace
“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” — Ephesians 2:14-18
We live in a world where it’s easy to become anxious. Maybe you or someone close to youstruggles with anxiety. It’s not surprising considering the world that we all live in today.
You have experienced a pandemic that likely interrupted your normal life.
There’s a constant pressure to perform and succeed.
There’s a constant pressure to perform and succeed.
Social media is constantly tempting you to compare yourself to others.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to live at peace with the world around us. You might be feeling that tension on social media or with friends or at home. At times, you might even feel it with God. It’s all evidence that we all live in a broken world.
Christmas is a great time to be reminded that, through Jesus, we can still experience peace despite our circumstances. He brings hope for reconciliation with both Him and others.
Before Jesus came, Jews and Gentiles (anyone who was not a Jew) were often considered enemies. The Jews were God’s chosen people. The Gentiles were considered pagan and unclean. But Jesus “has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility…making peace.” Jesus also broke down the dividing wall between man and God. Because of this, we have hope for both peace and reconciliation with God the Father.
Jesus, as the Source of our peace, was the inspiration for the third verse of the Christmas hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Because of Jesus, we no longer have to live without peace. This Christmas (and always), we can choose to experience the peace that Jesus offers, inside ourselves and in our relationships with others.
Questions:
1. Who is someone you are not at peace with right now? With the peace that Jesus offers you, what can you do to take a step toward reconciliation?
2. What are ways you can choose peace in your school, in your friend group, or in your family?
3. What is something you need to confess to God or hear from Him to help you experience His peace?