Advent 4
Devotional
Water From the Rock
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle C
Object:
And he shall be the one of peace.
-- Micah 5:5a
It is important during the season of Advent that we not treat too casually the hope for peace in our world. The world yearns for a true peace but often seeks it through war and expects that only the weapons of the most powerful can maintain peace. This passage from the prophet Micah speaks of Israel's longing for a leader who would guide them toward peace. According to the gospel of Matthew, this became a central prophecy of the people's hope for a messiah (Matthew 2:6). The gospel declares that this hope was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. In contrast to worldly wisdom, the passage makes clear that the true source of hope for peace is from God.
Instead of the messiah coming from a powerful nation or even an important family with many resources, this messiah was to come from one of the little clans of Judah. The messiah was to be more than a good man and a good teacher. He was to be, above all, a man of peace, and his coming was to mark the advent of peace in the world. Our faith invites us to look for God's work of peace in areas that are often overlooked by the world and seen as insignificant. As we celebrate the birth of Christ, it behooves the church and its members to reflect on how we act for peace, not only personally but also in the larger world.
It is consistent with the biblical theme that God's peace begins with the birth of a fragile child rather than the development of a new weapon of war. In the same manner, perhaps one congregation seeking to act for peace in the name of that Christ might advance world peace.
-- Micah 5:5a
It is important during the season of Advent that we not treat too casually the hope for peace in our world. The world yearns for a true peace but often seeks it through war and expects that only the weapons of the most powerful can maintain peace. This passage from the prophet Micah speaks of Israel's longing for a leader who would guide them toward peace. According to the gospel of Matthew, this became a central prophecy of the people's hope for a messiah (Matthew 2:6). The gospel declares that this hope was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. In contrast to worldly wisdom, the passage makes clear that the true source of hope for peace is from God.
Instead of the messiah coming from a powerful nation or even an important family with many resources, this messiah was to come from one of the little clans of Judah. The messiah was to be more than a good man and a good teacher. He was to be, above all, a man of peace, and his coming was to mark the advent of peace in the world. Our faith invites us to look for God's work of peace in areas that are often overlooked by the world and seen as insignificant. As we celebrate the birth of Christ, it behooves the church and its members to reflect on how we act for peace, not only personally but also in the larger world.
It is consistent with the biblical theme that God's peace begins with the birth of a fragile child rather than the development of a new weapon of war. In the same manner, perhaps one congregation seeking to act for peace in the name of that Christ might advance world peace.
