“And in despair I bowed my head.
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said,
‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep.
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.'”

Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

So often it can seem like there is no good in the world.  It can seem like evil and hate are winning out.  We see so many tragic and sorrowful things every day happening all around us.  And sometimes it seems like too much.  It can seem like there is no hope.  But that is exactly why Jesus came into our world.  As long as there is God, there is hope.  As long as there is God, there is peace.  Jesus brings goodness and hope and peace into the darkest places.

Hope can exist despite our circumstances and despite the state of the world and the degradation of our society because it comes from God.  It is hope in His goodness and righteousness that is more powerful than the evil that rules the world.  It is hope in His truth and His promises that this world is not our home and something glorious awaits us.  It is hope that one day, truly and certainly, all pain and suffering and loss will come to an end.  It is hope that our loving and almighty God holds us within His hands.

Peace can come on a still night in Bethlehem as some shepherds watched over their sheep.  Peace can come to a young woman’s heart just after giving birth to the true Son of God.  Peace can come to a man who had to choose to believe God over the whispers and the rumors.  Peace can come to our hearts not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives, no matter what we face, no matter the challenge, no matter how dark the night, because that baby was born, He grew up, He died, but He lives still today and offers to fill us with His perfect peace.