Thursday, October 24, 2024

EmmDev 2024-10-24 [Stronger Together] Prince of Peace

Prince of Peace

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 greatness 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. (Isaiah9:6-7)
Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally, the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the crowd clapped and cheered. The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.

The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace? A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel it's cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-grey clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power. A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil. (A Wardrobe from the King, Berit Kjos, pp. 45-46)

Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour truly is the Prince of Peace! When He was crucified, died and rose again from the dead He inaugurated the Kingdom of God in our midst. It is the here and the not yet. The word for peace in Isaiah 9:6-7, shalom, implies more than lack of conflict. According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, shalom means "completeness, soundness, welfare, peace."

Therefore, in our world today, Jesus Christ offers us peace -- completeness, soundness, welfare -- in the midst of our struggles with the world. He does not promise us that it will be easy, but He will keep us complete in the midst of the storm.

Therefore, let us put our hope and trust in Jesus Christ, our "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

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Wayne van Heerden, husband to Frances, father to David and Angela. Enjoys mountain biking. Serving at Gateway, Kempton Park.


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