Daily Devotion, November 27, 2019

Devotion:

Read Isaiah 9:2-7.

 Our toddler would often gaze with a wistful eye at the older preschoolers playing their version of football in the apartment’s front grassy knoll. With the preschoolers a friendly game could turn quickly into a tussle with words of, “That’s mine!” or “I was first!” Other parents were standing nearby who would bring peace to the situation. Without the parents’ peaceful interventions things could have gone downhill quickly.

 

According to Dr. Stephen Boyd, “Isaiah writes at a time when things were about as bad as they could get for the kingdom of Judah. Assyria was threatening Judah with the same fate as their take-over of Israel and Samaria.” There was no peace.

Into the midst of this darkness, Isaiah proclaims God’s light of hope. “For unto 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.”

Left to ourselves, like preschoolers in the front yard, we think the key to peace is to fight fire with fire or to meet power with power. But the peace which God brings is not as the world brings. Jesus spoke of God’s kind of peace in John 14:27. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus spoke this peace into the waves of the storm, “Peace, be still.” 

 God’s peace is an intervention into our human situation which helps us hear ourselves say in so many ways, “That’s mine!” and “I was first”. God’s peace helps us see the ways we are destroying each other. God’s peace restores justice, mercy and love to our ways with each other. God’s peace helps us to put aside our fears and frees us to love and serve others. I John 4:18 says, “Perfect love casts out all fear.”

Personal Worship Option:

God’s love is perfect. We can trust and rest in God’s peace. Read these words several times, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.” As you pray, ponder God’s nature and presence. God can be trusted with your troubles and our world’s troubles today.