Dear Faith Family,
On Sunday, we lit the second purple candle on our Advent Wreath, the "Candle of Peace." Moments before, we told the story of the "tree of peace," better known as "the Christmas Tree." The theme of the day was hard to miss! Yet, the sign and symbol, coupled with our scriptures and songs, were meant to help us pay attention to the arrival of the "Prince of Peace" and how His arrival restored "peacemaking" to our daily vocations.
This Advent season, we are looking at the apocalyptical (revelatory) visions of anticipation and arrival from prophets young and old, ancient and modern. Prophets who paint pictures of an end that is no ending but rather a mending of all that is bent and fractured in us and our world.
In Zechariah's vision, for instance, we hear the proclamation of peace at Jesus' arrival,
"Your king is coming!
A good king who makes all things right,
a humble king riding a donkey, a mere colt...
I’ve had it with war—
no more chariots...
no more war horses...
no more swords and spears,
bows and arrows.
He will offer peace to the nations,
a peaceful rule worldwide..."
(Zechariah 9:9-10)
But the image is not complete until we see that peace is a double restoration, a freedom from the bonds of our temporal prisons, whether in body or mind or soul, and freedom into our purpose in peace,
"because of my blood covenant with you,
I’ll release your prisoners from their hopeless cells.
Come home, hope-filled prisoners!
This very day I'm declaring a double bonus...
From now on people are my swords.”
(Zechariah 9:11-13)
You and I, as swords of peace, may sound a bit ironic, especially since Zechariah's vision already included the ending of weapons of war. Yet, perhaps that's the point of such revelations: to help us see things differently. Much like in The Revelation, we hear the longing for the Lion of Judah in anticipation of peace, yet see the Lamb slain as the restorer of peace and purpose (see Rev. 5:5-10). Similarly, we hear "peace" as an end, the goal for which we strive, when in truth, we come to see peace is the way of mending, ours and our enemies.
Peace, as Jesus' arrival, life, and conquering end attest, and as we mentioned on Sunday, is not an end to battles but a means of battling that is utterly and forever different.
"‘Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me,
even so I am sending you.’
And when Jesus had said this,
he breathed on them and said,
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’"
(John 20:21-22)
Becoming the peacemakers we are freed to be may bring up visions of mission and ministry some place or some way different than in our daily occupations, but it is not! In fact, that's the intent of our apocalyptic advent visions, not so much to give us a future picture in some other place, but to see in the present the future's arrival, and our place in it.
One reason we've partnered with the Made To Flourish Network is our shared desire to connect faith and work, to see our everyday role and relationships as the primary place for our maturation and ministry. If you want a practical approach to the "double bonus" of peace in your place of labor, I'd encourage you to put into practice this article.
And in so doing, may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard and guide our hearts, hands, and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.
Love you, faith family! Happy Advent & Merry Christmas!