Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:14 (NIV)

Christmas is really about peace, isn’t it?  Peace with God and peace with one another.  Peace that transcends earthly unrest and discord.  Peace that comes from accepting God’s gift of salvation through His Son.

The older I get, the more I value my peace.  I’ll take it over excitement, over drama, and over striving—any day of the week.  I am aware that many people live their lives going from one crises to another, one relationship to another, or the ups and downs of a roller coaster ride.  Most of us have been there at some point—a broken relationship, financial loss, loneliness, or a health issue.

Although we can’t control all of the circumstances that make up our lives on this earth, because of Christ we can still have peace.  This peace is not defined by the absence of conflict but rather, by God’s presence with us in the midst of conflict and by the assurance that everything is ultimately working together for our good.

You will recognize this God-given peace by the contentment of those who possess it.  You may think, “What’s with them?  I don’t understand how they can be so calm, assured, and stable while they are going through this illness, this loss, this setback.  Why aren’t they striving or fretting?  How can they keep reaching out to help others right now?”

Instead of being tossed about by the storms of life, they have learned to be sure footed warriors as they courageously fight life’s battles with the assurance of God’s presence with them, with faith that all things work together for their good, and with the deep contentment that comes from knowing that what they have is all they need.

May each of us give glory to God this Christmas season for the gift of His Son and for the “peace to those on whom his favor rests.”