“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. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6, 7
Peace.
We long for it.
We hope for it.
We make life-altering decisions based on the promise of it.
We go on vacations in search for it.
We read our Bibles and pray and believe for it.
Peace.
The Israelites were waiting for a Messiah that would come charging through, making a triumphant entry into their broken and dark world- a leader wielding power and making peace. A Prince of Peace with a sword in his hand.
To their chagrin, that was not the way the Messiah came.
He came humbly, quietly, poor and empty-handed. A Prince of Peace that turned the world upside down.
The peace that Jesus brought, the peace that was promised to us, and the peace that the angels declared on the night Christ was born, is a peace rooted in the presence of God.
Christ’s peace only rests where his presence resides.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” John 14:27
On this fourth Advent Sunday, as I contemplate the theme of Peace, I realize that the peace I am constantly searching for is much the same as the peace the Israelites were expecting. I want bells and whistles and all the challenging details and mismatched plotlines of the world to fall into order. I want a Prince of Peace with a sword in his hand!
And yet, Jesus offers a peace unlike any the world, or a sword, could ever deliver. He promises his presence.
And in his presence, there is peace.
He is the Prince of Peace.
And the promise of his peace is a promise guaranteed.
“The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:7
Without a doubt, as our world aches and mourns and longs for peace, we can stand in confidence that our peace has come. And even more so, in the hope that a greater peace is coming.
Advent means coming.
We remember Christ’s first arrival as we celebrate the advent season.
But we also look ahead to the arrival of Christ’s second coming.
We can live in his peace now as we anticipate the peace yet to come.
Today…with only five days left until Christmas…I pray you find yourself in the presence of the Prince of Peace.
Peace came swaddled in cloths, in a dirty stable, surrounded by animals, and worshipped by common shepherds. It didn’t come as the world would expect. And this Christmas, peace still comes to us in a quiet and uncommon way. Not how we might have hoped or expected. But in his presence.
Christ’s peace rests where is presence resides.
Peace.
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