“Peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.” Luke 2:14
Lord Jesus, we’re just 3 weeks out from Christmas Eve services, when these familiar words will ring out with invitation and great joy, “Peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.” It’s the declaration that makes me want to weep, dance, fall down in worship, get up and dance some more.
Everything our hearts long for, and more than we can imagine, is lovingly jam-packed into the words of the angel who announced your birth. We invest a lot of our time and energy seeking both peace and favor. The problem is, we “set the bar” too low. We are too easily satisfied … and are just as easily dissatisfied.
Angling to be seen and known, craving connection, wanting to be wanted, longing to be validated and valued—in a romance that craves us, by children who adore us, through companies that promote us, in a world that celebrates us. But the favor of people will never be enough, and the peace they give is as fleeting as the morning dew.
The peace we crave can only be found in the favor you give by the price only you could pay, Jesus. It’s what Christmas is all about. It’s why you came into our world. From Christmas Eve to Good Friday, your cradle pointed towards your cross. There you took the disfavor we deserve to give us the delight we can’t imagine.
Jesus, it still overwhelms us to realize you took the disgrace of our sin to give us the full-grace of Abba’s delight. You became our sin, that we might receive and become the righteousness of God (2Cor.5:21). And now we live in the unparalleled, unwavering, unfiltered favor of God. We believe, help our unbelief, Jesus. So Very Amen.
