Peace is a very common word in English, and it means different things to different people. It's also a very important word in the Bible that refers not only to the absence of conflict but also to the presence of something else. 

The hymn longs for peace—shalom—the restoration of all things. In a world full of darkness, conflict, and sorrow, the prayer is that Christ, the Prince of Peace, would come and break through the gloom. Though we still wait for the full realization of peace, we experience glimpses of it now through Christ’s presence, the peace that “passes all understanding.”

We can rejoice, not because all is fulfilled yet, but because fulfillment is coming. This dynamic tension of the now and not yet is the essence of Advent… and the reality of being a Jesus-shaped church. Will we embrace the peace being offered this Christmas season?

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