{"id":8474,"date":"2003-12-16T23:00:01","date_gmt":"2003-12-17T04:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=8474"},"modified":"2011-07-06T08:28:10","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T13:28:10","slug":"3403","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2003\/12\/16\/3403\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent Devotion: First Step Toward Peace on Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (December 16, 2003)\u00a0 – Covenant Communications has posted several Advent devotionals from church newsletters and emails recently. This one\u00a0 is from pastor Mark Pattie of Covenant Congregational Church in North\u00a0 Easton, Massachusetts.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the messages frequently heard as we approach Christmas is that\u00a0 the season has become so commercialized that we have lost sight of what\u00a0 it is really about.<\/p>\n
While the complaints are undoubtedly true, they get tiresome. Somehow,\u00a0 they sound like whining, which is something that rarely accomplishes\u00a0 anything. It is almost always the practice of those who prefer to avoid\u00a0 action rather than take responsibility for what they can do.<\/p>\n
The challenge for those of us who want to follow Christ in the\u00a0 materialistic world is not, first of all, how to convince others to pay\u00a0 attention to what really matters. The real challenge is for us to\u00a0 somehow figure out how to do so ourselves. It is tragic that much of the\u00a0 world is not focused on worshiping Christ at Christmas. It is worse than\u00a0 tragic that so many of us who call ourselves his followers are not\u00a0 focused on him either.<\/p>\n
It is always a tremendous challenge to be faithful to Christ and his\u00a0 values. Ironically, it is sometimes even more difficult at this time of\u00a0 the year. How can we possibly celebrate Christmas in a way that puts\u00a0 Christ and his concerns first when the expectations of those around us\u00a0 demand that we do likewise? How can we take time to look to Jesus and\u00a0 listen for his call upon our lives when our schedules barely leave time\u00a0 for us to sleep?<\/p>\n
The answers (to those questions) are not simple. It is clear, however,\u00a0 that they have little to do with what others ought to be doing. The\u00a0 number one thing that our world needs is not for everyone else to look\u00a0 to Christ and listen to his call, although we pray that will happen.\u00a0 What our world needs, and we need ourselves, is for us to do so.<\/p>\n
It might be that the first purchase most of us ought to make this\u00a0 Christmas season is a mirror. If our world is to be transformed, our own\u00a0 lives are a great place to start. The first step toward peace on earth\u00a0 comes not in exerting our power and influence on others, but in opening\u00a0 ourselves to the power and influence of Christ’s spirit. As we do, we\u00a0 can trust that, moment by moment, action by action, word by word, that\u00a0 the same spirit will accomplish his good purpose through us in the lives\u00a0 of others.<\/p>\n
Whatever else we may focus our time and energy on this Christmas, may\u00a0 this be the gift we seek: Christ born anew in us and through us in the\u00a0 world. Let us seek Christ, the gift of whom and angels sang, the One who\u00a0 brings peace on earth and goodwill to all.<\/p>\n
To read devotionals posted earlier, visit the following:<\/p>\n