Perfect Peace
Written by: Paige Wassel
On Christmas Eve of 1914, a few months into the start of World War I, a remarkable event reportedly occurred along the Western front, with British, French, Belgian, and German soldiers spontaneously laying down their arms for a brief respite from war. Accounts vary as to how these unsanctioned Christmas truces began and what caused an estimated 100,000 soldiers to participate in the temporary ceasefire observed in multiple places along the front.
Graham Williams of the Fifth London Rifle Brigade reflected, “First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful,’ the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles. And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing—two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of the war.”
In letters home recalling the event, soldiers reported leaving the trenches to exchange gifts of food, hats, and cigarettes with their enemies, with some even fashioning makeshift soccer balls to kick around. On Christmas day, some German and British soldiers held a joint service to bury their dead. The ceasefire lasted hours in some places and days in others, while in certain areas it wasn’t observed at all. With the return of armed hostilities and the sound of gunfire, soldiers on all sides were reminded that the events of that extraordinary Christmas were only a temporary truce, not lasting peace.
Many of us define peace as a state of tranquility marked by freedom from disturbances or problems. This kind of peace is fragile, dependent on our circumstances and interactions with others. This week, we were reminded that as Christ followers, we have the promise of a perfect peace that is not found in the absence of problems, but in the presence of God.
Philippians 4:6-8 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
In writing to the believers in the church in Philippi, Paul described the kind of lasting peace found only through a deeper relationship with God, urging them to regularly share their concerns with their heavenly Father in every situation. Paul challenged them to present their requests to God with thanksgiving, likely knowing that as they recalled the many ways God had shown up for them, they would be more likely to trust him with their deepest worries and fears. Paul knew growing in trust and surrender would allow them to fix their minds not on their worries but on the good gifts God had given—the things that were true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
Just as when Paul penned these words hundreds of years ago, today we still have a choice in how we react to opposition and circumstances beyond our control. Will we allow the messages and worries of this world to overwhelm us, or fix our minds on the unchanging one who promises peace beyond our worldly understanding? A complete peace not found through our striving, but by trusting in his truth.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” – Isaiah 26:3-4