Are you ready to have yourself a merry little Christmas? This holiday is special because every Christmas is an open invitation from God to every person on planet earth to experience hope, peace, joy, and love through Christ Jesus. We’re thinking on these blessings this week, and today we’ll focus on peace.

Jesus told us in the Gospel of John, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

In this broken world, Jesus promises to give us what both our body and soul long for:  peace. One might define peace as the removal of hostility, worry, or fear, which leads to tranquility with God, other human beings, and within ourselves. That’s peace with God, peace with people, and peace of mind.

Are there things this Christmas threatening to wreck your peace? God invites all people to focus intently on Christ this season and offers to give peace that surpasses all understanding.

May the angels’ declaration on that first Christmas echo forward into our lives, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Merry CHRIST-mas!

Change begins in you!