We live in a world hungry for peace, yet peace seems elusive.
Enter: The Prince of Peace.
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus sounds wonderful, so fantastic that it sounds almost too good to be true. This verse is what, or rather Who, we are celebrating at Christmas. The Word of God made flesh for us is a familiar part of history for many of us. It is such an audacious plan of God that many mistake it for myth. Guiding stars, outcast shepherds, angels, suddenlies, fear, and the armies of heaven all worshiping a baby.
Please do your best to read the following like you’ve never seen or heard it before.
Luke 2:8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
The Lord of creation became a human baby. Crazy?!? Only maybe. How can we know, or more to our point now, how can we tap into the peace this one carries and offers to all?
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Ps 46:10
I hear some thinking: “Yeah sure, like I can find a minute to myself…. You have not seen my to do list, or heard my cries of pain and heartache.”
And I believe Abba responds gently with something like: “Yes I have seen your list, and I have heard your cries of pain and heartache…all of it. Please take a breath.” Pause for a breath…
He continues… “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell Me what you need, and thank me for all I have done. Then you will experience My peace, which exceeds anything you can understand apart from Me. My peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in My Son Christ Jesus.” A paraphrase of Phil 4:6-7 NLT
Our Creator is asking us to exchange all our earthy challenges and perspectives, both real and imagined, for His peace, which exceeds anything we can understand apart from Him. To do that we need to be still and know that God is God.
Abba, I need your peace that exceeds anything I can understand apart from You. Thank you for forgiving me when I forget you. Thank you for resting everything on your shoulders and sending Jesus, the Prince of Peace. I still my heart before you now… I want to know that you are God and what that means.
I give up trying to do anything apart from you and I give you all my fears. In exchange I believe you are God and I receive your peace that passes all understanding. Amen
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
In HIS grip,
Andrea
