Dove
Meg
“For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:4, HCSB)
Every year we buy a family Christmas ornament for our tree. (I know, I’m talking about Christmas, but bear with me). The only rule when it comes to this ornament is that it has to somehow symbolize something about that year of our life. This past Christmas, that ornament was a dove. I saw it in a store around the holidays and knew it had to be ours. Why a dove? Because my heart was feeling tumultuous at the time. There was a fight between peace and unrest going on. It was honestly a hard time of year, especially Christmas day itself, since my husband was so far away. There was an empty gap when my daughter woke up with bright, cheery eyes, while we ate our cinnamon rolls, opened our stockings, went to church, and, later that day, opened the rest of our presents. Someone was definitely missing.
Oh how I needed to be reminded of peace. Because this world just doesn’t have much of it. No, this world is full of wars and unrest. A military wife knows that better than many. We know the feeling of missing loved ones during holidays, anniversaries, birthdays. We know what true loneliness feels like.
But we also get to experience indescribable peace.
The kind of peace that curls its arms around you in the middle of a half empty bed. The peace that helps you hold your head up high as you walk into a restaurant and ask for two seats instead of three. The peace that comforts you when you stumble across news from the middle east, news that scares you until you find out one way or another.
Peace. He is our peace in good times and in bad.
Why is He our peace? Because He’s already bridged the gap between life and death. By dying on the cross for our sins, He paid the ultimate price. Because of this price we can live eternally in heaven with Him. With this price paid, there are no true fears in this world. Nothing we can’t overcome. God, our refuge, our strength, our peace, will see us through it all.
Peace.
The symbol of a dove.
A reminder of God’s peace in each and every one of our lives.
What would life be without it?
I really don’t want to know.
Do you have any reminders of God’s faithfulness in your life? What things, verses, or people do you turn to for encouragement?