Advent Week #2 – Peace (Psalm 85)

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. You, LORD, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. 3 You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger. 4 Restore us again, God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your unfailing love, LORD, and grant us your salvation. 8 I will listen to what God the LORD says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants-- but let them not turn to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. 12 The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. 13 Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps. (Psalm 85) NIV)

We had lived in Poland for ten years and when the plane lifted off out of the Krakow airport I was in tears saying good-bye to a country and culture I had come to love.

The sorrow began over a year earlier and grew until the departure. My desire was to stay in Poland the rest of my life. However, the needs of the ministry and family made it clear that relocating back to the US was the right decision.

When the family settled in America, I had a very difficult time adjusting. We moved into our house and twenty-three years later I am writing this devotional from the backyard.

I realized that I hate moving. The reason is that during my first eighteen years of life, I lived in eleven different houses in five different states. In my mind many of those relocations were a result of my father’s leadership.

In order to address my disdain for moving I had to come to grips with my father’s decisions. In doing so I realized how much my relationship with my father affected my life. I had to come to peace with my father in order to find peace in this world.

Peace is the theme of this advent week and involves peace with the Father and peace with God.

Psalm 85 leads so easily from the advent theme of love as found in forgiveness and salvation to the celebration of peace.

Jesus is referred to as the Prince of Peace and is the fulfillment of numerous Old Testament promises such as those found in Psalm 85.

In this beautiful Psalm, God is the One who can bring peace to His people (vs. 8). He will end the conflict and brokenness that exists between God and His creation. 

Peace will replace the conflict that exists due to our sins, transgressions and poor decisions. He will bring an end to the conflict and make peace between God and humanity. 

Advent Peace is Great News For Boys and Girls

Every boy and girl can know that they have peace with God.

He is a loving Father who forgives them and takes pleasure in them (vs. 4). Every child can experience a loving Father who is always with them (vs. 6). He is a loving Father who gives children what is good (vs. 12) and His love never fails (vs. 7).

Knowing this about our Father in heaven affects our life in this world.

This is on the mind of the Psalmist who announces that God brings “peace to His people, His faithful servants” (vs. 8). This theme is picked up by Paul in Ephesians and stated explicitly in Ephesians 2:14-15.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, (Eph. 2:14-15 NIV)

Advent peace means that we can be at peace with God and with each other. 

In a world filled with broken relationships, personal conflicts and interpersonal strife Christ offers peace with God and with each other.

Advent peace is good news for boys and girls. They can know and experience a loving Father who is forgiving, patient, kind and acts with goodness.

This establishes a foundation for relationships in the home, school and community. Jesus Christ has brought peace with God the Father and so we can experience peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, honesty, healing and redemption in the relationships of this world.

For children living in broken homes, those with parents in conflict, struggling with siblings, having a hard time at school, experiencing challenges in after-school sports there can be peace. 

As we celebrate the second Sunday of advent, let’s remind boys and girls in our lives that they can be at peace with the heavenly Father and with each other; all through Christ the Prince of Peace.

Experiential Activity: Peace (Psalm 85)

This activity will create feelings of tugging and pulling.

Supplies:

A rope suitable for tug of war.

Directions:

• Make a center line on the floor with tape
• Divide the group in half with each half standing in line one one side of the center line.
• An equal number of players pick up each end of the rope.
• The players begin tugging the rope when the referee gives the signal.
• Each player pulls backwards as hard as they can.
• The teams continue pulling until the center of the rope (tape mark) crosses where the referee is standing.
• The game ends when the referee declares one team has successfully pulled the past the center.

Note: Players are not allowed to wrap the rope around arms, wrist or waist.

Connecting Questions

1. How did you feel when you were pulling on the rope?
2. How did you feel when you stopped pulling and struggling against the other side?

Connecting Statement

Today we will read a Psalm about how we can stop struggling with God and with each other and have peace.