Daily Java: For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
500 or so years before Jesus was born, Isaiah the prophet said that there would be a child born who would be the prefect ruler of the world. He would be one who would have the right amount of love, the right amount of knowledge, the right amount of wisdom – all of the attributes needed to be the perfect ruler. The hand of God would be upon him.
And he would bring peace.
But how is it that after 2000 years, we still do not have peace? Why do the nations of the world still fight? Does that mean that Jesus is not really who he said he was?
The problem with the kingdom of God is that it thinks in ways we do not. When peace was promised in the birth of the Christ child. It was not peace as we think, but internal peace.
People think that peace is the cessation of hostilities. But it isn’t. that is just a cease-fire. Peace is something different, something deeper.
Peace is what you have in times of war, something that sits inside you deeply keeping you from despair. That is what the angels told the shepherd when Jesus was born: that he would bring peace into the world.
You can have peace even though the world rages, even though all around you is falling apart. This peace is the sure and certain knowledge that God is with you and that he loves you.
It is, as the apostle Paul, no stranger himself to turbulent times, said: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
As Jesus said, there will always be wars and rumors of wars. That will never stop until Jesus comes again. But you can know that even in the middle of all of life’s carnage, you can still have peace.
After all, you are ruled over by the Prince of Peace.
That means that peace rules over your life. Let it do so.
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