Christian Comment with Rev Peter Francis, Priest in charge of Woodchester, Brimscombe & Rodborough

Waiting for Peace

THE run up to Christmas, for many people, can be increasingly hectic and panicked as the number of shopping days are ticked off one by one and the pressure increases to make sure we have bought everything we need, got ready to accommodate guests, tidied up or got packed to go away.

For some, work may be unrelenting in the run up to Christmas and the closer we get, the more pressure we are under.

We may be looking forward to when we can stop; and have some space.

Perhaps when everything is done we can sit back and appreciate what Christmas is really about, maybe then we can enjoy some real peace?

Or perhaps for some of us, Christmas may not feel like something to look forward to this year, perhaps we are without loved ones or friends, without work or money.

Peace may feel absent for very different reasons.

But either way we do not need to wait for God to be ‘with us’ on Christmas Day, we do not need to wait for peace, for Jesus says: “I will be with you always” (Matthew 28 v 20).

Jesus is there in our busyness and loneliness, in our hope and fear, in our rushing about and in our space.

He is here with us now and perhaps now is the time to take the opportunity to try speaking to Him – to ask for help, for guidance, for the needs of others and maybe even... for peace.