Finding Peace in the Presence of Jesus

In the familiar story of Luke 2, we discover something profound: peace isn't found in the absence of chaos, but in the presence of Jesus. When we examine the Christmas narrative closely, we see anything but a peaceful scene. Mary and Joseph are forced to travel while Mary is heavily pregnant, displaced by a government census designed to increase tax revenue. They arrive in an overcrowded Bethlehem with no room for them anywhere. The Roman Empire promises peace through force and military might, yet true peace arrives in the most unexpected way—as a baby in a manger. The shepherds, rough working-class men doing their jobs in the fields, receive the angelic announcement not because circumstances were about to get easier, but because the Savior had arrived. Their response is immediate and powerful: they don't sit around debating theology, they go and see Jesus, then worship and tell others. This Christmas season, we're challenged to stop trying to manufacture peace through perfect circumstances, endless activities, or checking off holiday boxes. Instead, we're invited to draw close to Jesus, to make room for Him in our lives the way Bethlehem failed to do. When we eliminate self-created noise and sit with Scripture, absorbing His presence rather than racing through religious obligations, we discover the thrill of hope that transforms restless hearts. The question becomes: will we make Jesus the focal point, or will Christmas traditions supplant His presence?