
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. —Isaiah 9:6
So many beautiful names for Jesus exist that individuals often make a choice of their favorite, depending on the image that means the most in their own lives. On my own spiritual journey that name has changed many times. I usually come back to Father which is so simple yet profound. Lamb of God and Bread of Life are two other personal favorites. However, for this writing I chose Prince of Peace which warranted Bible research for me. Why would Jesus be called the Prince of Peace when so much fighting and hatred exists in our world? Why doesn’t He just put an end to it?
It made me ask myself, “What was the kind of peace to which Jesus was referring?” In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives.” So, Jesus’ peace was not promising us personal safety, the elimination of wars, or ending the present acrimony between factions within our country.
What then is He offering us? In Romans 5:1 are the words, “Therefore since we have been made righteous through His faithfulness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peace is a deeper and lasting peace between our hearts and God, one that cannot be taken away. Because of Christ’s sacrifice I can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit that will have me live in ways I cannot possibly live by myself. This peace, joy and love will show in us, and it will spill over into our own personal relationships with others.
The scriptures I have referred to have made me aware of the peace I can have with God through my faith and my trust in Him, and the ultimate sacrifice of His son, Jesus. Surprisingly this magnificent peace offered through the grace of God can be hard to accept and maintain. It is not easy to let go and place everything in God’s hands.
I often ask the question, “Why is something that seems so easy and wonderful be so difficult?” Don’t I have enough faith and trust in God to let go of my own needs to control things in my life? I have both the desire to be able to fix things in my life and the knowledge to know I cannot. My choice is to trust God’s promises and let peace rule in my heart, or to rely on myself and reject the peace He has to offer. I choose the former. As Advent approaches, we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. Because I have faith and trust in Him, I freely and joyfully accept His gift of peace.
Father, I humbly accept the peace you offer me. Wars and conflicts in our world will not cease until Jesus comes to establish a lasting peace. Once your peace rules our hearts and behaviors, we can share that peace with others. In this beautiful season of the birth of Jesus keep me focused on you and the deep and abiding peace you offer me. Amen
Bobbi Marino