Prince of Peace

I am one of those that enjoy listening to Christmas music. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, any time opportunity arises, I play the music on my Christmas music playlist. (The Christmas playlist is actually playing as I am writing.) I have collected this set of music over the years and, at this point, includes almost two full days of various artists and genres with a single subject, Christmas.

Early on this season, I heard a song that I did not readily associate with Christmas, “Let There be Peace on Earth.” Jill Jaskson-Miller and Sy Miller originally composed this song in 1955 and was the theme song for the International Children’s Choir, a group of children representing different nations. Because of its popular message of peace and unity, it has been performed by many different artists, including me, for a middle school talent show.

The lyrics of the song communicate a common message shared during the Christmas season.

Let there be peace on earth
and let it begin with me;
let there be peace on earth,
the peace that was meant to be.

Present Peace

We have celebrated that special birth over two thousand times and it does not seem that we are any closer to fulfilling the coming peace that was proclaimed then and now. Countries and people continue to create conflict which result in destruction and death on both sides, making it seem that longstanding peace is impossible. Every time we watch the news, there is another story about crime, violence and murder. In our society, there is growing division between groups of people, whether it be due to race, religion, political affiliation, socio-economic status, between schools or sports teams.

Peace is so important that the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) created the Global Peace Index (GPI) which measures the relative peacefulness of the world. This index ranks the peace of 163 independent states and territories based on three dimensions that have demonstrated a relationship with peacefulness.

It would probably not be surprising to find that over a thirteen-year period, the overall peacefulness of the world declined during nine of those years. As the prophet Jeremiah stated, “peace, peace, but there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14) In fact, it seems the paltry amount of peace that we currently have, we are slowly losing.

Past Peace

A current meaning for peace is a lack of conflict and freedom from a fear of violence between individuals or groups. This is a much different definition of peace compared to the definition used during Biblical times. When Isaiah introduces the Prince of Peace, the Hebrew word used is shalom. This means much more than just the absence of war. Completeness, wholeness, harmony, and fulfillment would be much closer to the meaning of shalom. So, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is ruler over more than just a kingdom that is not in conflict, external or internal, but one whose subjects have a sense of completeness and fulfillment. In fact, it has more to do with identity and less about circumstances.

During Jesus’ time, in the New Testament, the Greek word that was used for peace was irene. Just like the meaning of shalom, the meaning of irene goes beyond rest or the absence of conflict. How Jesus and the New Testament writers used peace was to point to the ultimate future fulfillment of God’s complete peace that could also be a present reality for those following Him. We experience this peace despite the circumstances in which we find ourselves, because it is based in God. Conflict and turmoil can surround us, but we can still experience and point others to peace.

The first and best gift is peace with God. We were created to be in relationship with God, our creator. This relationship was interrupted through the choice of Adam and Eve to disobey God, believing that they could know better than Him. This decision has rippled throughout history, where every person born after this terrible choice started life separated from God.

Jesus entered this world as a baby on Christmas, as the Prince of Peace, with the purpose of restoring the peaceful relationship between man and his creator. When Jesus, as a man, died on the cross, he took the punishment that we rightfully deserved because of our rebellion against God. He resolved the conflict between God and man through his willing sacrifice, as we put our faith in Him.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

Instead of being in rebellion to God, through Jesus, we have been set free to have a peaceful and personal relationship with Him.

Peace with Ourselves

Since we can now have a relationship with God, the second gift that we receive is peace with ourselves. We were created to be image bearers of God; reflecting who God is though who we are and what we do. Without a relationship with God, we had no way of knowing who we were created to be. So, various influences, including society, family, media, religion, along with our own decisions, shaped who we are into a corrupted version of who God designed us to be. We are never at peace, complete, whole, or fulfilled with this corrupted identity, since we do not have the one that God meant for us.

When our relationship with God is restored, through faith in our Prince of Peace, it is like becoming a new creation.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who live in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

We are now able to experience the identity for which we were created, able to think the way God designed us, and do those things God planned for us to do. We can finally become who we were always designed to be, experiencing the completeness and fulfillment that comes with it. He has promised to provide everything we need to fulfill our purpose as image-bearers of Himself.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who call us to His own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us His precious and great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature…” 2 Peter 1:3-4

Although we have peace with ourselves, it does not promise a life without conflict or drama. In fact, challenging times will come, whether part of God’s work of transforming you into who He has called you, or a result of your own decisions, or attacks of the enemy. The difference with this peace is that it is not based on our circumstances but on our faith in God and His promises. We have a different perspective regarding our circumstances, since we are constantly setting our minds on Him.

“For the mind that is set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

Peace with Others

The last gift of peace that we can have through Jesus is actual peace with others. The peace that we can now have is not based on our circumstances or other people. Since we are created to reflect the nature of God, we are also called to be bringers of peace to others, just as Jesus brought peace to us.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9

We were not created to live in isolation. Jesus is the prince of peace and we are part of His kingdom, including all of those that He has called to be part of His kingdom. Since we are people still in the process of transformation, there will be eventual conflict. We need to be willing to step into these moments of conflict and challenge in order to bring about peace, by demonstrating God’s peace to others. We can offer peace knowing that our peace is not dependent on how they respond, but in our obedience and faithfulness to God by displaying God’s peace to them.

Facing the Future with Peace

The first time that we took our grandkids to Rocky Mountain National Park, we made the drive up Trail Ridge Road. Along the road to the visitor’s center, there are several stops where people can stop and view the magnificent vistas. At one stop, there was a place where people could climb onto the rocks to get a completely unobstructed view of the mountains. As my grandson stood out on the rock, he was able to see further than he was ever able to at home but was also at peace knowing that he was safe.

Daily living is like standing on the edge of a precipice, not knowing exactly what is coming or what your next step should be. But that is the blessing that we have with the gifts of peace that have been given to us. We don’t need to know what is coming, because we have been given peace to face the future with confidence, knowing that our future is safely with Him. Whether we face pressure, persecution, or prosperity, we have peace because it is all part of God’s plan to transform us into who He has created us to be as we glorify Him. Regardless of how others respond to us, our peace comes from knowing and being known by Him. Our rest and peace come from Him alone, our Prince of Peace.