Peace on Earth

I deliberately chose the New King James Version for this verse:
Luke 2:8-14 (NKJV)
⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 


The shepherds were the lowliest of society...no one thought they were important at all - except God!  When Jesus was born in the manger stall heaven began to jump up and down.  Like the new-born's Father (or in my case Grandfather) the angels HAD to tell someone - even if they were only Shepherds.
The Announcement:
A Savior
Who is the Messiah
Of Yahweh (the LORD)
The angels - not a few - a multitude emerge from their invisible state and to lowly shepherds on a hillside they do what they naturally do - Sing Praise...Glory to God...

The second announcement:
God is in the highest
On earth peace is come...the Prince of Peace
Mankind can know of God's grace and favor...

I am thinking how much this is needed today.  Today is December 7, 2011.  It was 70 years ago today the terrible events of Pearl Harbor took place and my Father's generation went to war.  It seems that we've been at war ever since.  WWII led to Korea...led to Vietnam...led to Iraq and now Afghanistan.  And that doesn't count the many other places - Mogadishu, Beirut, Panama, and other small places we've been in conflict.  AND, that is just the United States.  There are 100's of places over that time, if not 1000's that continue to experience No PEACE.

Today, I'm thinking of the 1000's of servicemen and women overseas who are serving to do what they can to bring about Peace.  My heart goes out to their families and my prayers that we can see them home, sooner rather than later.  If you can, sit down and write a Christmas card to someone overseas serving our country in the military.

We live in a world full of evil and hate...and long to see Peace.  The person who can bring that is the Prince of Peace, the Savior, Christ, the Lord.  Jesus alone can bring Peace upon the earth.
In Advent, we look back at the first coming when God sent his Son into the world as a little baby, born of a woman, born human, born humbly. born to tell us what a world looks like at Peace.  Peace is God..the creator, and his creation giving glory and honoring his word, believing, trusting in Him... "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done".
For Peace is knowing Jesus
Peace is having God's Kingdom in the center of our lives.
Peace is living in the value of relationships
Peace is living in the will of God.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)
⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.