Advent: Peace
There is a prophetic word of the Messiah’s Advent in Isaiah 9:2-7. Within this passage, there is a promise that a child would be born and the government would be upon His shoulders. This child would be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. The greatness of His government and peace has no end, and He will reign on the continued promise of David’s throne establishing justice and righteousness forevermore. Finally, Isaiah declares out these affirming words at the end of these verses, “The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
This passage is rich in promise, robust in detail, and heavy in hope. I love the glory of the vows in these verses and how the Lord pledges to accomplish this for His people.
As I have grown in the Lord and His Word, I have come to find that the story of Scripture has always been about family. It’s the story of a Father who creates a world for His love. When His creation reject their Father, He sends His Son to die for their sin so that they could be redeemed and adopted as children of God. The Son gives His Spirit to these children that they may have intimate connection with the Father, and invite others into this rule and system of peace.
In other words, God is establishing a government called family, and the purpose of this government is peace. The beauty of this revelation is found in the Messiah who carries this government and implements its reign through laying down His life and being raised from the dead as King. And His government will have no end. Did you catch that? His family of peace will have no end.
This is good news for us, but I often find that it’s difficult to continue to choose this peace and family system. We tend to run to our wars, our pain, our fear, our assumption, our busy-ness, and our world systems rather than to the One who is peace and offers true peace.
Let’s stop at the manger for a second, and look at the One who offers absolute peace, the One who calls the winds and waves to obey and they cease to a complete calm, and the One is present with us as peace that surpasses all that we can understand. Let’s come back to the posture of receiving the peace He offers to us as beloved children of the Everlasting Father.
Today, there is an invitation for you to recognize, receive, and live from the peace of the One who has made you family and calls you into His governing life. The question is not about if peace is present, it is about whether or not you will align yourself with Peace in your presence? If He could overcome the grave in peace, He can surely empower you to overcome your circumstances in peace as well. Rest in His peace today, beloved, for His peace will have no end. Amen.
