Daily Affirmations - Day 4 - The Way of Peace - Brought to Earth

Day 4: Brought to Earth

Lord, You establish peace for us

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14 – KJV).

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"Glory to God in the highest," was an old, old song; [the angels] had sung that from before the foundations of the world. But, now, they sang as it were a new song before the throne of God: for they added this stanza—"on earth, peace."

They did not sing that in the garden. There was peace there, but it seemed a thing of course, and scarce worth singing of. There was more than peace there; for there was glory to God there.

But, now, man had fallen, and since the day when cherubim with fiery swords drove out the man, there had been no peace on earth, save in the breast of some believers, who had obtained peace from the living fountain of this incarnation of Christ. Wars had raged from the ends of the world; men had slaughtered one another, heaps on heaps.

There had been wars within as well as wars without. Conscience had fought with man; Satan had tormented man with thoughts of sin. There had been no peace on earth since Adam fell.

But, now, when the newborn King made his appearance, the swaddling band with which he was wrapped up was the white flag of peace. That manger was the place where the treaty was signed, whereby warfare should be stopped between man's conscience and himself, man's conscience and his God.

It was then, that day, the trumpet blew—"Sheathe the sword, oh man, sheathe the sword, oh conscience, for God is now at peace with man, and man at peace with God." Do you not feel my brethren, that the gospel of God is peace to man? Where else can peace be found, but in the message of Jesus?

Go legalist, work for peace with toil and pain, and thou shalt never find it. Go, thou, that trustest in the law: go thou, to Sinai; look to the flames that Moses saw, and shrink, and tremble, and despair; for peace is nowhere to be found, but in Him, of whom it is said, "This man shall be peace" (Micah 5:5).

And what a peace it is, beloved! It is peace like a river, and righteousness like the waves of the sea. It is the peace of God that passeth all understanding, which keeps our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This sacred peace between the pardoned soul and God the pardoner; this marvelous at-one-ment between the sinner and his judge, this was it that the angels sung when they said, "peace on earth."

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon ~ The First Christmas Carol

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Precious Child, so sweetly sleeping

In a virgin’s fond embrace;

Heav’nly hosts their watch are keeping

O’er Thy humble dwelling place;

Blest Messiah, newborn King,

Let my heart its tribute bring.

Anthems joyous now are ringing

In the skies of Bethlehem;

Angels their sweet song are singing,

“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Precious Jesus, at Thy birth

Heaven’s peace is brought to earth.

Sweetly rest, Thou promised Savior,

By the prophets long foretold;

Brightly beams the Father’s favor,

Now all men His love behold.

Virgin born Immanuel,

Let my tongue Thy praises tell!

Promised Savior, I adore Thee,

Son of David, Son of God!

What can mortals bring before Thee?

All is Thine on earthly sod.

Take my heart and let it be

Filled with love, dear Child, to Thee.

~ Anna B. Hoppe ~ 1920

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