Dear Friends and Family,

On Christmas Day 1864, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, most famous for his poem Paul Revere’s Ride (Listen, my children, and you shall hear…),  wrote his second most famous poem – Christmas Bells.

Why famous? It has inspired generations. And if you’ve heard the Carpenters song – I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day – you heard the poem.

Longfellow wrote this poem in the midst of the Civil War. His wife had recently passed away and his eldest son lay severely wounded from fighting for the Union.

The poem opens with the promise of Christmas.

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men!”

But then he turns to the reality of the time.

“Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

In his notes, Longfellow wrote, “What an infernal thing war is!” He captured his feelings of despair and sorrow a few stanzas later.

“And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men!’”

There was no peace on earth in 1864. And there will be no peace on earth on Christmas Day 2023.

Why then does the Bible associate peace on earth with the coming of Jesus?

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The easier understood NIV translation reads, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And why did Isaiah say Jesus would be called the Prince of Peace?

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Even Zachariah, father of John the Baptist, said this of his son and Jesus.

“For you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him…to guide our feet into the path of peace.”  Luke 1:76, 79 NIV

According to a 2003 article in the New York Times, “Of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history.”

Because God makes no mistakes, it’s safe to say Jesus did not come to bring peace to the world.

In fact, He said so Himself.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”   Matthew 10:34 NIV

So, what kind of peace were the angels, Isaiah and Zachariah talking about?

A clue can be found in the peace Jesus gave His disciples. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”  John 14:27 NIV

Jesus gave them inner peace to help them through troubled times. 

Jesus had this inner peace after praying to His Father in the Garden.

We too have this inner peace. This peace – which comforts us through the valleys of life – is ours only because we have a relationship with our Father.

The answer to today’s question: The peace Jesus brought to earth was peace between mankind and God. “A gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.”  2 Corinthians 5:18 NLT

Because Jesus came we have a personal eternal relationship with the Father.

Because Jesus came the curtain that blocked access to God was torn in two. ( See Luke 23:45)

Jesus became the bridge over the chasm created in the Garden of Eden between God and mankind. And the cherubim and flaming sword that guard the way to the tree of life no longer block our path. (See Genesis 3:24)

My friends, imagine for a moment how your life would be without Jesus. We have so many reasons to be joyful in this season.

Our peace with God laid the foundation for the peace we dream of. It’s given us hope for true peace between men and between nations.

Our hope comes from knowing that one day He will return. And upon His return He, with our help, will complete the works He started.

Let’s ask Longfellow to close that thought.

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”

In love always,