Considering the word “peace” at Advent | Life
This Advent weekend we replicate on the word “peace”.
Last month I traveled to Winnipeg for per week, sadly on that infamous and disastrous Sunday when western Canadian computer systems overheated and promptly crashed. The airline struggled to seek out options and I used to be caught at Kelowna Airport for hours consuming triple-O burgers. Then I missed my connection from Edmonton and wandered round in the early hours searching for a resort to snag a number of brief hours of sleep; There was no room in the many inns, not even a secure.
What ought to have taken three hours of vivid, comfy journey took ten instances as lengthy to reach in “Manitoba, Canada’s heartbeat.” I felt confused. The peace dissolved into frustration and confusion amongst the hundreds of vacationers. Matchless lineups felt overwhelming, and plenty of sleepy souls huddled on the onerous flooring awaiting any departure information.
I considered how simply peace can disappear, not like our planes. Peace is a robust word, particularly once we consider the world conflicts, once we consider the scenes in Ukraine, of the assaults on energy crops, the disruption of the energy grid and the dropping of faux bombs.
Darkness has descended on a season that needs to be crammed with pleasure and twinkling festive lights, as a wave of refugees search heat and shelter in European cities, fleeing the chilly and terror.
Comparing my little journey glitch makes me really feel humbled, if not a little bit absurd. It is obscure what refugees need to expertise.
This week my daughter inspired me to observe the Netflix movie The Swimmers, the story of two sisters who journey from war-torn Syria on a dangerous journey to Europe and Germany, then on to the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The sisters heroically used their swimming expertise to save lots of others in the darkish waters of the Mediterranean and as we speak they marketing campaign for refugee rights. With these ideas swirling round in my head, I used to be quickly reminded that Jesus was a fugitive
his delivery. Knowing that King Herod supposed to kill this youngster, the household fled south via the arid area to Egypt, the place they most likely took refuge in the Jewish Quarter of Alexandria, awaiting information of King Herod’s loss of life (Mt 2:13- 15).
At Christmas we bear in mind the vulnerability of Jesus the child born to a teenage mom who was not married at conception, born right into a poor household and born in a loud and run down secure. God left the consolation and splendor of his heavenly dwelling to indicate us love; He recognized with all of our ache, even taking to the streets fleeing injustice and terror.
Proverbs 31:8-9 encourages us: “Speak for many who can’t communicate for themselves. Protect the rights of all who’re helpless. Speak for them and be a simply choose. Protect the rights of the poor and needy.’
May we all know God’s energy to make peace.
Phil Collins is pastor of Willow Park Church in Kelowna.
