Adore Him: One Star One Hope Sample

OUR HUNGER FOR A QUIET HEART CAN ONLY BE SATISFIED BY KNOWING A PERSON

ADVENT WEEK 2 

PEACE is an elusive treasure for many people in our generation. We are restless, seeking to fill the vacuum of meaning in our lives with garages full of stuff, hearts full of appointments, and heads full of fantasies. 

A young girl named Mary, from a small village in Israel, was not interested in finding her inner peace through the latest fashions, a popular group of friends, or through an endless stream of social media. She wasn’t filling her hours standing in front of a mirror, dreaming of stardom, or soaking in the dull roar of a permanently powered-up television or smartphone. Mary was a girl of intimate prayer – and her life’s dream was to learn how to stay near to God. For Mary, a peaceful heart was achieved by knowing a Person. 

One night, when an angel visited Mary, the celestial being found her ready and waiting for God to use her to do great things. Mary’s knowledge that peace, lasting peace, could never come from anyone or anything other than her loving God, bred in her a constant confidence. That confidence would carry her through the days of embarrassment and social stigma required for her to bear the Son of God for a misunderstanding world. 

Mary understood, as we must, that peace is not found simply in the absence of difficulty. True peace is found in the presence of Someone who loves us beyond measure and can be completely trusted with our lives. She could suffer any trial, fulfill any dangerous mission that God might dream up because her peace was forged in an intimate, ongoing relationship with him. Young Mary, just a teenage girl with a tender heart, was ready for anything that first Christmas. 

Apply This In Your Life 

What do you do to keep ‘peace’ in your life? Are you finding your peace in “stuff,” activities, or by creating a comfortable life? Consider today that the most peaceful life on earth may not be found by avoiding our inner turmoil, but by bringing it to the One who is called, “The Prince of Peace” in the Scriptures. He, Jesus, is the one who holds the peace you desire. 

A Closing Prayer 

There is no greater peace found, Lord, than in your loving presence. Forgive me for looking for peace in so many places other than in my walk with you. I choose to stay close to you as my source for a quiet, calm heart.