Covenant’s Advent Series-Week 2: PEACE

Created by Travis Niemeyer

As we head into the second week of Advent, many of us are met with a sense of irony.  Advent is a season of preparing, but we often focus much of our time and energy on preparing the wrong things.  We prepare our homes with trees, lights, nativity figurines, and holiday decor.  We prepare elaborate meals and baked goods for family and friends.  We prepare our homes for guests by cleaning, decluttering, and sprucing them up.  We prepare the kids for concerts, plays, and parties.  We prepare for the excitement of Christmas morning by searching out the perfect gifts and wrapping them with colorful paper and coordinating ribbons.  These are all good and wonderful things; however, in doing them, we often fail to prepare what is most important: our hearts.

In Luke 10, we see a similar moment unfold when Jesus arrives in Bethany, and He and His followers are welcomed into the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Martha, being the dutiful hostess, is preparing.  She’s preparing her home for the sudden influx of guests.  She’s stirring a pot of beans, pulling bread from the hot oven, chopping vegetables, and arranging platters of food.  She’s fetching water from the well, refilling cups, and generally ensuring everyone is comfortable and well-fed.  And, while she is busily preparing in the kitchen, her sister, Mary, is just sitting there. At the feet of Jesus, Mary is fixated on Him and hanging on to his every word.  Finally, Martha, frenzied and tired, complains to Jesus about the lack of help from her sister, and Jesus sympathetically replies, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”

Martha’s anxiety is understandable.  She’s doing good things—preparing for and serving others. But, Jesus gently reminds her that Mary has chosen “the one thing necessary.”  In that moment, sitting at His feet mattered more than the meal being prepared for Him. The irony is, like Martha, we are often so busy preparing to celebrate the Prince of Peace that our own hearts grow troubled and anxious. We lose the very peace He came to give.

This week, our Advent focus is on peace. However, peace remains elusive for many of us, especially as we prepare for Christmas. Recent surveys reveal that 81% of Americans experience increased stress during the holidays, with financial pressures, grief, and difficult family dynamics weighing heavily on us. We’ve somehow transformed a season meant to proclaim ‘Peace on earth’ into our most anxious time of the year. The frenetic pace and endless to-do lists leave us feeling exactly as Martha did; there’s too much to do to stop and focus on Jesus.

Yet, even in the midst of the Christmas craziness, peace is available.  Thomas À Kempis in The Imitation of Christ prays, “Give me above all desires to rest in You, and in You let my heart have peace. You are true peace of heart. You alone are its rest. Without You all things are difficult and troubled.” And, Isaiah cries out, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” It’s through prayer, faith, and keeping our hearts focused on the Lord that we can tap into the peace the Bible promises.

In Celebration of Disciplines, Richard Foster writes, “In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in ‘muchness’ and ‘manyness,’ he will rest satisfied.” In contrast, Jesus tells his followers, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Later, Jesus promised his disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). The peace of Christ isn’t dependent on perfect circumstances, completed to-do lists, or gracious guests. It’s a peace that exists even amid the ‘many things,’ a contented rest in the midst of our Martha moments.

So this week, what if we followed Mary’s example?

What if we identified our ‘many things’—the preparations and pressures consuming our time and attention—and chose to lay them at the feet of Jesus? Not abandoning our responsibilities, but reordering them around the one thing necessary, and resting in the quiet space of Advent.

Family Devotional

Read the Scriptures together slowly, and invite each family member—young and old—to share what they hear or notice. After reading, select the discussion questions that best suit your children’s ages. There’s no need to cover everything; simply let the conversation flow naturally. You may also pick one of the simple activities to reinforce the theme of hope. Close your time by praying together and thanking God for sending Jesus, our true Hope.

Luke 2:8-14

Micah 5:2-5

  • At Christmas, we do lots of things—decorating, schoolwork, and chores. What’s one small way we can remember Jesus while we do those things? (Examples: saying a quick prayer, singing a Christmas song about Jesus.)
  •  When we’re busy, it’s easy to forget to talk to Jesus. What is one time in your day when you can stop and talk with Him? (Bedtime, morning, in the car, etc.)
  • If peace were a sound, what would it sound like?
  • Peace Jar:  Create a special jar or box where family members can put slips of paper with anxious thoughts, feelings, or worries written on them. As you place each concern in the jar, pray together and ask Jesus to give you peace. Each evening during Advent, pull one out, pray about it together, and then talk about how Jesus is helping you with that worry.
  •  Peace Hands: Trace each child’s hands on paper.  On one hand, draw or write one thing that helps them feel Jesus’ peace, and on the other hand, write one person they can share the peace of Jesus with.

  • Where do you feel the opposite of peace in your life right now? (Homework, friendships, sports, schedule pressure, social media, etc.)
  • Richard Foster writes that our adversary “majors in noise, hurry, and crowds” to keep us from God. What are the specific sources of “muchness” and “manyness” in your life right now—especially during Advent?
  • What are some concrete things we as a family can do to make sure we make space for the “one thing necessary” in preparing our hearts for Jesus’ arrival? 
  • Peace Journaling: Have kids draw two columns: Things that steal my peace and Things that bring me closer to Jesus. Let them fill it in privately, then share one item if they want. Connect it to Richard Foster’s idea of noise and hurry.
  • Peaceful Pause: Set a timer for 2 minutes of silence (older kids can handle this). Say: “The shepherds stopped everything to go see Jesus. Let’s practice stopping.” Afterward, ask: What was easy? What was hard? What did you think about?

Lord, Dear Jesus,

Thank You for coming to bring peace—peace to the world and peace to our hearts. Help us slow down and make room for You in our busy days.

When we feel stressed, hurried, or overwhelmed, remind us that You are our Prince of Peace and that You are always with us. Teach our family to listen for Your voice, to rest in Your love, and to share Your peace with others this week.

Fill our home with Your peace.

Amen.

Written by Travis Niemeyer
Travis Niemeyer has served as the Middle School Head at Covenant Christian Academy since 2022. His calling to Christ-centered education began after transitioning from a career in technology sales and has grown through years of teaching and leadership roles across GCISD and Northwest ISD.