Waking up to Peace.
There are lots of different kinds of peace. The peace we practice, the peace that abides in us regardless of what’s going on, the ‘world peace’ pageant contenders hope for, the peace God promises to the world through the birth, life, death and return of Jesus, the Christ. There are peace-keepers, peace makers, peace givers. Peace treaties and peace talks. There is a ‘peaceful presence’ that sometimes befalls us. Some churches pass the peace each Sunday.
There are a lot of different ways to explore and define peace. So, what exactly are we waking up to this Advent when we challenge ourselves to Wake up to Peace?
The Hebrew word for ‘peace’ is shalom and it means completion, a whole sense of well being, when things are aligned, secure and absent of any defect. We strive for shalom in our relationships, in our projects, in politics, in all things. It’s more than the absence of conflict, it is a sense of wholeness.
As followers of Jesus we are called to create peace with each other; we are called to follow Jesus’ lead of working to reconcile all things on earth as it is in heaven. We are called to see what is incomplete around us (and within us) and do our part, with humility, patience and love, to try to make it whole.
This is one way we can wake up to Peace this advent season.
See you Sunday,
Julie.