So often we mistake quiet for peace. As long as conflict doesn’t erupt, we assume peace is present. But that is not God’s picture of peace in the Bible. God’s true peace—God’s shalom—is everything set right, everything as it was meant to be. That peace became incarnate in Jesus, who brings true reconciliation between God and humanity. As we follow the Prince of Peace, God calls us to be peacemakers who embody his restoring work. And as we anticipate Jesus’ return, may we actively pursue shalom and lay aside anything that disrupts God’s work of restoration and wholeness.
Uncertainty. That word can fill us with anxiety. You may be going through a rough time and wonder what's going to happen to you. You've been in waiting mode for what seems like forever. Will this waiting ever come to an end? We're on the cusp of a new year. What's going to happen in 2024? No one knows what's going to happen in the future, but uncertainty gives us another chance to trust in God and renew our commitment to Him. He is our Father who is familiar with us and knows what we need before we even ask it.
This Sunday, New Year's Eve, we will look at the opportunity of uncertainty and see what God tells us about trusting Him when we can't see around the corner.