Peace

Philippians 4:5-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

During the Advent season of 2020, we were desperate to bring our family together. Our holiday tradition for years had been to gather in a cabin in the Smokies for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Our kids and grandkids came from Ohio and Iowa, making long drives for a few days of love and fellowship. But this was a different year, the year of Covid, when hundreds of thousands around the world had already died from this terrible virus. We held our breath, hoping everyone could travel.

On Wednesday, Dec. 23, our daughter Sarah called in tears, saying her husband, Brent, had tested positive for COVID. He had cold symptoms the week before, and out of an abundance of caution, they decided he should take the test. Brent was isolating in the basement, but Sarah feared the whole family could come down with COVID in the next few days. The trip to the cabin for Christmas was off.

Soon after, our son David called and told us that our grandson Jacob had been exposed to COVID and they were waiting for test results. The trip home for Christmas was in doubt. Tom and I were crushed. We had pinned so much hope on this reunion after a year of anxiety and doubt. But the Bible verse says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God.” Our prayers went up, and we determined we would go to the cabin alone and find a way to celebrate via Zoom with our kids.

On Thursday, Dec. 24, daughter Sarah called back, ecstatic! She and the grandkids had all tested negative for Covid, and Brent’s quarantine would be over by Saturday. They were coming to Tennessee! Later that day, David called, and his voice was full of sadness. Jacob had tested positive for COVID-19. They could not travel home for Christmas.

We were caught between joy and sorrow again. We felt guilty for even urging the kids to make the long trip in the midst of a pandemic. We had been motivated by longing, pure longing, so hungry for the love and stimulation of being together with three generations of family.

On Christmas Day, a heavy snow fell and blanketed the world in peace. While waiting for Sarah and her family to arrive, we helped shovel the snow off the driveway to our cabins so that other families could gather as well. It was a happy task.

That Christmas in 2020 is one we will never forget. We opened packages together with our Ohio family and celebrated with our Iowa family on Zoom. And somewhere in the middle, we found peace, the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. And the strength to face the next day.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, you always remind us not to be anxious, but we forget. You always promise us the peace which passes all understanding, but we forget. You brought us, Jesus, in a world filled with anxiety and danger, and we need to remember. Thank you for the peace you bring to our hearts in the Advent season. And all year long. Amen.

This devotion was written by Laura Derr and read by Judy Wilson.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in...