One of the great joys of Christmas is … Christmas ships!
This past weekend hubby and I crossed the dark waters of Lake Washington, heading into downtown Seattle for a Christmas concert. There … glimmering on the water in the distance … a Christmas ship! And another one! So festive!
Several years ago, hubby and I used to live quite close to the Puget Sound. At Christmastime we would go down to the waterfront … and there, lined up in a row all along the pier … Christmas ships! So festive!
A local park which we went to often was Richmond Beach Park. This beach park usually closed at dusk, however on one special night each December, the beach was open for the coming of the Christmas ships! A HUGE bonfire was built on the beach … and neighbors in our community all came together on the beach to see the Christmas ships!
The beach was pitch-black in the darkness. Rocky … with cold waters splashing … and cold breezes blowing in off the water.
Hundreds of people spread out here and there all across the rocky beach in the pitch-black darkness: excited children, young families, older couples, school friend-groups, just about everybody! And intermingled with the people were bouncing, roaming bits of light from furry pet-friends, wearing lit collars, lit reindeer antlers, and jingling bells.
Hot coco and cookies were available under a bright white tent, and a local school choir group serenaded with favorite Christmas songs … as we all waited in anticipation for the arrival of the Christmas ships!
Waiting … in the cold darkness … … and then … a faint glimmer of light! We all strained our eyes to the north, excitedly looking for the Christmas ships! Yes! There they were! They were coming!!
Ever so slowly the Christmas ships sailed down the Puget Sound and came to anchor just off Richmond Beach. The lights of the Christmas ships glimmered and shimmered off the waters of the Sound. A great cheer went up from the hundreds of unseen spectators spread out in the pitch-black darkness along the cold rocky beach.
Then the music began! Wafting across the water came festive Christmas songs from the musical groups aboard the main Christmas ship. Songs of joy! Songs of hope! Songs of peace!
Christmas ships … bringing songs of peace!
It was at this same time in our lives that hubby and I had become close friends with a very special family (K&L) whose life was dedicated to the peace and security of our nation. That particular year K had been deployed on a ship, literally bringing peace to our nation. And yet … no one knew. No one knew where the ship was. No one knew what the ship was doing. And yet … it was because of this ship that we all had peace and freedom!
That particular Christmas, the ship came home!
As the giant mega-ship sailed into port, all the brave warriors who served aboard the ship lined the entire perimeter of the upper deck … in their best dress-whites … standing on guard and at attention! Sailing home to the country they had just risked their lives to defend. A Christmas ship … bringing literal peace!
Just as the giant mega-ship was engaged in warfare to defeat evil and bring peace, so also Jesus Christ came to earth to face the powers of evil, to engage them in warfare, and to defeat them!
“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He [Jesus] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” – Colossians 2:15
One day, Jesus our warrior Prince of Peace will return once again to earth … just like the mega-ship sailed into home port. All the armies of Heaven will accompany our Prince of Peace as He returns to establish permanent forever-lasting peace on the earth! (Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 20:11-16; Revelation 5:11-13)
Thank you God, for Christmas ships … bringing songs of peace … about Jesus, the Prince of Peace who came!
Thank you to all the brave warriors who dedicate their lives (and risk their lives!) to bring literal peace to our nation!
Thank you God that Jesus our Prince of Peace will one day return and establish permanent forever-lasting peace on the earth!
