"Peace on earth..", those early angels sang. Really? Well, where is it?

That's a fair question to ask. It looks bleak, doesn't it, as we come to the end of 2001. Not much peace internationally; not a lot of peace in the UK; perhaps not as much as we would want in family life. You, of course, may be living in the lap of peace and enjoying health, vigour and trouble-free times. Don't think for one moment that I am suggesting things should change for you! Not at all!

What I want to say, though, is that, if we open our eyes and our minds to the wider picture, we cannot miss the missing peace. And, if on that first Christmas it was told that we would have peace, what piece is missing?

The angels didn't sing of a glorious, goose-bumpy sort of peace---the kind that makes you feel drowsy and at one with everybody and everything, but of a specific peace that would come because a new King was born, none other than Jesus Christ! And if He's missing then so is the peace.

Is He missing? Yes and no! No, He's alive and well and totally involved in caring about our world and, incidentally, you as an individual. Yes, because so many people have not given him house-room (much as the first lot in Bethlehem). So many folk think He's a nostalgic part of Christmas, a jolly good chap and all that sort of thing, but not relevant to their lives today.

How wrong can people be? As soon as any of us asks Jesus to be Lord of our lives we find that the missing piece of the peace that was missing now fills us. Not that it means that life has no more troubles but that, in our troubles and our joys, something (actually Some-one) holds us, keeps us and gives us hope.

A peace-filled Christmas to you, as you make peace with Jesus.

Poynton Baptist Church