Sunday, Dec 4, 2022
“Stop for Christmas Peace”
In preparation for today’s devotion, I spent more time in writer’s block detention than I did actually putting something down on paper. My plan was to be efficient and knock out two or three, but, as it so happens today, I’m lucky to get even one out the door.
For some people, an occasional lack of productivity is no big deal. But for those of us who maintain tight schedules and pay too much attention to what we didn’t accomplish during the day, this is a nightmare. Whether we want to admit it or not, those of us who are hyper-sensitive to work, productivity, and time management struggle on weekends because of our lack of structure. We don’t do well on vacations, either, because we feel like we aren’t completing something specific.
Christmastime is especially difficult for us. In the drive to be efficient in our work, we often overlook God’s blessings at Christmas. We don’t stop to take pictures, smell the flowers, or admire the sights. In fact, we rarely stop at all. Instead, we create a web of tasks to make us feel better about our day.
Today is the second Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a week dedicated to Peace at Christmas. Yes, Peace has many definitions, and we’ll explore some later this week. But today, I’m going to Stop for Christmas Peace. I’m going to try and focus on the Peace that God provides in my heart, mind, and soul. God doesn’t offer this gift so I can ignore it. Rather, God offers this beautiful gift so that I can take some pictures, enjoy the sweet fragrances of nature, and admire the beauty of creation.
How about you? If both of us stopped for a moment today, what would we discover? Let’s give it a try and experience the blessings God has prepared for today!
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27, NLT)