Creation at Peace by Laura Rodgers

The LORD shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples;they shall beat their swords into plowshares,and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4 NRSV)

For many years before adding children to my family, I sang alto in the adult choir. One of my favorite anthems the choir performs, “Creation Will Be at Peace” by J. Paul Williams and Anna Laura Page, is based on this scripture. I remember singing it for the first time in rehearsal and wiping away tears when we finished. What a profound statement of lyrics, set to simple

accompaniment. They soar from the heights of “They will war no more!” and “A child will lead them all,” to the quiet ending:

In the holy mountain of the Lord,

all war and strife will cease.

In the holy mountain of the Lord,

Creation will be at Peace.

Creation will be at Peace.

While you read this devotional, I’d encourage you to search for the title online and watch and listen. My search landed on a video of a choir, which included people of many races and ages, standing around a room, holding hands, singing while accompanied by a bell choir. Watching this diverse group, singing in clear voice, led me to reflect on the image from the scripture of all nations setting aside war to join together in peaceful pursuits. No longer lifting up weapons against each other, no longer “learning war.” It’s something for which we hope.

The scripture speaks to the nations, but it can also translate to our day-to-day interactions with family, friends, and all we encounter. We can make peace our priority in those interactions, as well. We CAN lay down the swords we carry and approach each other with peace and understanding.

Can Christmas still change the world? My hopeful heart will always say yes. As long as there are people who pray for peace, who speak out for it, and who take action for it, then yes, we can have it. We can war no more. We can live in peace.

Laura Rodgers

Isaiah 2:1–5