What Can Peace Look Like | Advent Devotional Day 18

Advent 2025 DevotionalCore | Peace
December 17, 2025
Written by Steven Krusie

Title: What Can Peace Look Like?

Scripture:



My Reflection

This passage from Isaiah describes specific physical details of what changes, even transformations, will occur when God’s people return from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem. It is a promise of well-being, peace and joy that is a prophetic hope for an enslaved people. For me, it is a message that transcends the physical into spiritual and eternal manifestations when we allow God to dwell within us by acknowledging His omnipotence over our lives and all of creation; and how His love for me transforms my awareness of His presence in me, through me and all around me. 

This text changes how I see my circumstances and the people around me and helps me to contemplate on how I have been blessed and how I might use my time and resources in ways that are Kingdom-focused rather than earthly and temporal. I’m compelled to prayerfully contemplate what joy, peace and mercy I might experience personally when I surrender my selfish desires to a life of servanthood for Christ. During this Advent season, I’m especially grateful for The Gathering faith community that has welcomed my wife and I as new retired transplants to St. Louis where the Holy Spirit is alive and vibrant and intentionally desires to share that good news with anyone and everyone.

My Prayer:

Holy Immanuel, help me to give my life fully over to you. To love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength; and my neighbor as myself. Help me live a life that serves as your hands and feet in my neighborhood, city, and world, as a sincere reflection of the awareness and acceptance that your Holy Spirit dwells within me for eternity and nothing in this world can change that. Knowing your love and mercy for me is a gift that I can never earn, but only accept with my heart, head and hands wide open. Truly, a peace that surpasses all understanding. Amen.

Reflection Questions

• Who are the people that have helped encourage me, or provided a helping hand or lovingly embraced me as a person of worth and dignity? 
• Who needs encouraging affirmation, a helping hand, or a loving embrace that God puts in my daily sphere of influence and physical surroundings this Advent season?

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