Let Jesus be your peace when feeling too busy

This week I had a number of people ask if I’m busy. The truth is that in addition to a usually full schedule, there were some important events planned this past week.

The Community Advent Service was Dec. 5 at St. John. There was coordination for the meal and the worship service added to a usually full Wednesday. And, then we held our annual congregational Voters’ Meeting after late worship. This meeting includes yearly reports from various boards, election of officers and board members and the passing of a budget for the coming year.

And, this is the Christmas season. This time of year adds activities and events. Kathy’s party from work was that Saturday. There are concerts at the church. And I am practicing for the coming VPA play.

You may be surprised how I answered the people who asked if I was busy.

“Yes, I am busy, but I think I’m keeping ahead of the busyness.”

I was busy, but I didn’t feel stressed. We had many other people working to make the advent service a success. Thank you, volunteers and servants of God! This has been the easiest year in memory for finding people to serve as officers and board members at church. And, believe it or not, Kathy and I have had our Christmas shopping completed since before the beginning of December. I wasn’t overwhelmed.

Are you busy? It seems Americans are always busy. In fact, we may be too busy, and that busyness can cause us to lose our priorities. Many Christian writers talk about the selfish and sinful aspect of such overly busy schedules. Then, when we add the activities and events of the Christmas season many of us become stressed as well. It can all seem counter-productive. We celebrate this time of joy with a fervor that can sap our energy and take the joy right out of the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

You may be surprised, but I believe there is a way that all this busyness can help us seek and appreciate the gift of the Christ child. Please don’t get me wrong. I am not encouraging people to lose their priorities or to indulge in excess of activity that can become idolatry of self. When we become so busy we can forget about the fact that God is the Lord of our lives, whether we remember that or not. But, there is a way that the busyness of the season can help us to long for and appreciate who our savior is and what he brings.

Many know the prophecy from Micah 5. This prophecy tells that the promised Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. But, have you ever listened to what God says in the last five words of that prophecy? “‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.’ Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers’ return to join the Israelites.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace.”

Jesus is our peace! When we are stressed, the love of God tells us Jesus is our peace. When we become overly busy, and the fervor of busyness can cause us to forget that God is lord of our lives, Jesus is our peace. He points us to God as the giver and purpose for our lives.

When our failures, idolatries and sins drag us down, Jesus is our peace. The baby born in Bethlehem came to die on a cross in Jerusalem to pay for the sins of the whole world. As we repent and turn in faith to Jesus, God forgives us and restores us to a life as his child, where we work to grow in living for our Lord rather than living for ourselves.

In all honesty, the people who asked me if I was busy were themselves quite busy and perhaps approaching being overwhelmed. I pray that the busyness of this Christmas season can help you truly appreciate and receive the messiah and savior as he comes to you again this Christmas. Jesus is our peace!

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer. Contact him at jonrock53@mtaonline.net.

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