"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
To Ponder:
There is a striking image in this reading: it tells us to let Christ's peace rule in our hearts. The word suggests a referee making the final call, a king sitting on a throne, a governor directing affairs. Christ's peace isn't meant to be an occasional visitor to our hearts—it's meant to reign there.
This is the peace that Christmas ushered into the world.
When Christ was born in Bethlehem, heaven's peace broke into earth's chaos. The Prince of Peace arrived to reconcile us to God and to one another. He came to establish a kingdom where peace doesn't just exist—it governs. It directs our decisions, settles our disputes, calms our anxieties, and shapes how we relate to others.
Notice the connection between Christ's peace to our life together. We were called to peace as members of one body. The peace of Christmas isn't just personal tranquillity; it's the harmony and unity Christ creates among his people. When his peace rules in our hearts, it transforms our relationships, our churches, our families, and our communities.
And there is one more thing: "be thankful." Gratitude and peace are inseparable. When we recognize all that Christ has done for us—coming as a baby, living a perfect life, dying for our sins, rising in victory—thanksgiving naturally flows, and his peace settles deeper in our hearts.
This Christmas, let Christ's peace take its rightful place on the throne of your heart.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing your peace into our world and into our hearts. Help your peace to rule in us this Christmas—guiding our thoughts, calming our worries, and shaping how we love others. Fill us with gratitude for all you've done. In Your name, Amen.
Today’s Devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
"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."
To Ponder:
The Christmas season can be paradoxical. We celebrate the Prince of Peace while often feeling anything but peaceful. Our minds race with to-do lists, our wallets strain with expenses, our calendars overflow with obligations. Anxiety creeps in where peace should dwell.
Our reading today offer us a different way—a way that leads directly back to the heart of Christmas.
"Do not be anxious about anything." Instead, bring everything to God in prayer. Not just the big things, but everything. Our worries about family gatherings. Our concerns about finances. Our fears about the future. Our loneliness. Our grief. Our joy. All of it.
And here's the promise: when we bring our anxious hearts to God with thanksgiving, His peace—a peace that defies logic and transcends our circumstances—will stand guard over our hearts and minds.
This is the peace the angels announced on that first Christmas night. When the shepherds heard "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace," it wasn't a promise of easy lives or perfect circumstances. It was the announcement that God Himself had come near in Christ Jesus. The baby in the manger was Emmanuel—God with us—and his presence changes everything.
This Christmas, we can exchange our anxiety for His peace, not by ignoring our troubles, but by bringing them to the One who was born to carry them for us.
Prayer:
Father, we bring you all our anxieties this Christmas—everything that weighs heavy on our hearts. Thank you for the gift of your Son and the peace he brings. Guard our hearts and minds with your peace that surpasses understanding. Help us rest in your presence today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today’s Devotion written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
To Ponder:
These words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples on the night before is death on the cross. In just hours, their world would be shattered by his arrest and death. Yet in this moment of approaching darkness, Jesus offered them something the world could never take away: his peace.
The peace Jesus gives is radically different from what the world offers. The world's peace depends on circumstances—good health, financial security, comfortable relationships, favorable outcomes. It's fragile and fleeting, disappearing the moment our circumstances shift.
But Christ's peace? It stands firm in the storm. It remains when everything else falls apart.
This is the peace that Christmas celebrates. The baby born in Bethlehem came to give us something far greater than temporary comfort or earthly solutions. He came to reconcile us to God, to defeat sin and death, and to offer us a peace that transcends all understanding—a peace rooted not in our circumstances but in his unchanging presence with us.
Jesus spoke these words knowing what lay ahead: the cross, the resurrection, and his return to the Father. He knew his disciples would face trials, persecution, and uncertainty. Yet he promised them his peace—the same peace he offers us today.
This Christmas, we celebrate the gift of Emmanuel, God with us. And because he is with us, our hearts need not be troubled or afraid.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of your peace—a peace the world cannot give and cannot take away. This Christmas, quiet our troubled hearts and replace our fears with trust in you. Help us rest in your presence, knowing that you are with us always. In your name, Amen.
Today’s Devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
To Ponder:
"Do not be afraid." These were the angel's first words to Mary after announcing she would bear the Christ child. It's remarkable that the announcement of the world's greatest gift began with a command to release fear.
Fear is the opposite of peace. It grips our hearts, steals our joy, and blinds us to God's presence. But when Gabriel appeared to Mary, he didn't just tell her not to be afraid—he gave her a reason: "You have found favour with God."
This is the peace that Christmas offers us.
God's favour isn't something we earn or achieve; it's grace freely given. Through Christ, God extends His favour to all who receive Him. The baby in the manger grew to become our Savior, removing the barrier of sin that separated us from God. Because of Jesus, we no longer need to fear God's judgment, our uncertain future, or even death itself.
Mary's "yes" to God's plan, despite her fears and questions, brought the Prince of Peace into the world. This Christmas, we can follow her example—releasing our fears and anxieties into God's hands, trusting in his favour and goodness toward us.
When we embrace the truth that we are loved and favoured by God through Christ, fear loses its grip, and His peace fills our hearts.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of your Son and the favour you've shown us through him. Help us release our fears this Christmas and rest in your perfect peace. May we trust you as Mary did, knowing we are loved and held by You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Todays Devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them."
To Ponder:
When Isaiah painted this breathtaking picture of God's coming kingdom, he showed us something remarkable: peace isn't just the absence of conflict—it's the presence of radical reconciliation. Natural enemies resting together. The fierce and the fragile sharing the same space. And at the centre of it all? A little child.
This is the peace that Christmas announces.
On that first Christmas night, heaven broke into earth not with armies or fanfare, but with a baby. The Prince of Peace arrived as the most vulnerable thing imaginable—an infant wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough. Yet this child would grow to reconcile all things to God, making peace through His blood shed on the cross.
Isaiah's vision reminds us that true peace transforms relationships that seem impossible to mend. Through Christ, God reconciles us—his enemies—to himself. He takes our anxious hearts and replaces them with his perfect peace. He takes broken relationships and offers the possibility of healing. He takes a world torn by division and plants seeds of his kingdom where wolves and lambs can finally rest together.
This Christmas, we celebrate that the little child Isaiah prophesied has come. And one day, He will return to fully establish the peaceable kingdom—where every tear is wiped away, every wrong is made right, and perfect peace reigns forever.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, thank you for coming as a child to bring us into your kingdom. Quiet our anxious hearts this Christmas and help us to be peacemakers in our world. Fill us with hope as we celebrate your birth and await your return, when Your perfect peace will reign forever. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.
TO PONDER
Any of us born into and raised in a Christian family can very likely relate easily to this verse from Psalm 71.
We were most probably all baptised at an early age, not a decision we were able to consider or consciously make for ourselves, but clearly becoming one of God’s children was of paramount importance to our parents which laid the first strong foundational bricks in our faith. I distinctly recall our daily family evening devotions from a young age where me and my five siblings would sit with Dad and Mum, while Dad read us a story from our family Children’s Bible and we would then pray.
These family Bible stories and teachings strengthened my foundations further together with our regular attendance at Sunday School whilst Mum and Dad worshiped each week. You possibly also attended some form of Youth group on a regular basis and then undertook a confirmation course studying God’s word and learning more about the Lutheran faith and beliefs through Luther's Small Catechism. This course culminated in our public acknowledgement to our local congregation, family and friends as we were confirmed and attended the Lord’s table for the very first time.
I, and I’m sure any of you who share a similar story can consider ourselves extremely fortunate. This upbringing cultivated a deep sense of trust and reliance on God from early on as we embarked on our life journey here on earth. Just as the psalmist found hope and confidence in God from their youth, we too can reflect on our own experiences with God. How God has been our source of hope and confidence in times of uncertainty. How placing our trust in God and growing in our faith provides us with comfort and strength, knowing that God is our steadfast support, offering hope and confidence in every situation.
And whether this picture above resonates for you or not, the same confidence in God (irrespective of when you became His child) exists for all believers. God is our rock, our salvation and as we grow in our faith He becomes even more so our refuge in older years. Just like the psalmist found hope and confidence in Him, we too can share in these same gifts today, tomorrow and always.
PRAYER:God of hope. Teach me to understand the importance of nurturing a relationship with You so I too can share in the hope and confidence that You provide to me and all my fellow believers today, tomorrow and always. In your precious name I pray. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
TO PONDER
My father has always said to me and my siblings 'if you're going to do a job, make sure you do it properly'. Dad lived this mantra when he was independent, and I have witnessed it many times over the years when Dad has assisted me with a reasonably major job around the house or in the yard. One example that springs to mind is digging post holes for a 25 metre long retaining wall where the research indicated we needed to go down to a depth of 1.5 metres underground to adequately support the wall at a certain height, so we dug to a depth of 2 metres and concreted in the posts. The retaining wall was never going to collapse or start to lean!
God's love for us is the same (not done by halves) and in fact it is magnified many many more times. Like the analogy we reflected on, on Wednesday of this week when we thought about the glass of bubbly effervescently racing to the top of the glass and spewing over the side, God's love continuously overflows for us.
God does not do things in half measures! He did not distantly proclaim us from Heaven as His children but rather sent down His own son to live on this earth, then die for us on the cross, and save us from our sins through His death and resurrection.
In our verse today, we are not told that God's love will drip or trickle out onto our hearts but that it will be poured out. No half measures! We therefore will not be disappointed with our hope in the Lord because God has proven His intention to complete His work in us - the proof being the love from Him poured out into our hearts by the Holy spirit who was given to us.
When Jesus departed from this world through His ascension, He filled His disciples with the Holy Spirit to remain with them. The same Holy Spirit that today fills our hearts with God's love as it is poured in a continuous-overflowing capacity.
We should not live our lives as if God's love is merely a trickle but live boldly, in the knowledge of His outpouring love for us!
PRAYER:Holy Spirit. Open my heart so that you can pour out God's love onto me so it is a continuing and overflowing source of hope and strength for both me and for those that I come into contact with daily, wherever You may send me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
TO PONDER
As we approach Christmas and our Christian celebrations, it is also the time of year that most children are reminded, threatened with, and perhaps even bribed, that Santa Claus is always watching their every move. Whether sleeping, awake or whether naughty or nice – he is watching, and he is coming to town!
The verse from today’s Psalm provides a somewhat similar picture but in a very different context. The message that Santa is forever watching is portrayed in a threatening manner. There is an underlying ultimatum. One of judgement! Santa is only watching to determine which children receive presents and which do not.
Verse 18 tells us that God will watch over all who trust and revere Him with unwavering love, care and protection. He watches everything we do. He is our vigilant guardian, like a parent who cannot take their eyes off their young child playing in a park, ensuring their well-being and safeguarding them from harm. The context here is not one of ultimatum or threat but unwavering love involving an everlasting watch over us. Whether we are sleeping or awake.
We indeed should place our hope in His unfailing love. That is, we should trust and be confident in His unchanging enduring love for us. This hope extends to the security and assurance that we will find in our reliance on God. His faithful, unfailing love serves as a steadfast anchor in our lives amidst the challenges, disappointments and uncertainties that we encounter.
We can boldly live our lives as Christians underpinned by our hope in God’s unfailing love.
PRAYER: Our Vigilant Father in Heaven. Thank you that You constantly watch over me in everything I do. Help me to place my trust and hope in You and Your unfailing, enduring love. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
TO PONDER
Have you ever poured a glass of bubbly and observed the contents quickly taking up half the glass volume while the dancing gaseous bubbles race to the top, and if you keep pouring, the bubbles upon reaching the rim of the glass erupt, sprawling over the edge and running down the outside of the glass?
Well, this is the picture that springs to mind for me when I read Romans 15 verse 13…. except the Romans message is so much better!
Our trust and hope in the Lord ensures that we will not only be filled with joy and peace but the hope will overflow through the work of the Holy Spirit. There is no mention whatsoever of the ‘tap being turned off’ or the pourer stopping the pour. It continues on, so the joy and peace fill us wholly and then overflows and continues to bubble over the edge.
We are provided with a continuous flow through the source of the Holy Spirit providing absolutely all that we need to tackle life on this earth, and more…… and as this joy and peace overflow, this allows each of us to share these gifts with others around us.
We do not need to ration our supplies and selfishly store up quantities for future use to meet our upcoming needs. No sir! We receive these gifts from the ‘fountain of life’ which continues flowing forever, providing what we need and more.
Be assured of these continuous, never ceasing, overflowing gifts from God. May we share these gifts with others selflessly and generously.
PRAYER:My Lord and fountain of life. I praise You for absolutely everything that You provide me to meet my daily needs and more. Help me to selflessly share Your gifts with all around me and those that You send along my life’s path with the knowledge and confidence that Your provisions will never ‘run dry’ and will continue for eternity. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping