12/18/2024

Read: Leviticus 26:6 - “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land.”

Reflect: Much of the peace of Advent is about the peace God has already delivered to us through His Son Jesus. But there is an element of peace that exists in the “not yet”, a peace that we are still waiting for. Though we are thankful for the peace with God and in our hearts that Jesus has delivered to us, as we look around at our world, we see many “evil beasts”. We see the sword, pestilence, famine, and all manner of evils running through our land. When will we have peace around us, not just in us? At the second Advent, Jesus will come to claim His rightful place as ruler of the universe, and as He reigns, He will bring about true, ultimate peace in our land. There will no longer be anything that makes us afraid and we will be able to fully rest in His peace. King Jesus will not allow evil to continue for much longer. He will rid our world of all evil and violence and death. And this promise of a future peace gives us peace even today, because we know who victory belongs to, and that we will stand with Him in His triumph. Above all, it is paramount we remember that peace does not ultimately depend on us. It is brought in by the Lord’s work, and only His work. May Your peace come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Respond: As you meditate upon the future peace Jesus will bring, ask Him to strengthen you with His peace today. Thank Him that He has not and will not leave us alone to face the world, and that He will come again for us. Imagine what that Day will be like, with the Lord Jesus on the throne of the world.