Published 12/30/19
Read Isaiah 9:6-7
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."
Reflect
What is meant by Prince of Peace? In wat ways has Jesus been your Prince of Peace?
"Just keep your eyes on the horizon. Don't look at the waves. Look out as far as you can. Keep your eyes peeled on the horizon way out there," my friend said, pointing to a far-distant point. I was enduring a choppy boat ride off the coast of Maine, and my anxiety was rising.
Returning to my seat, I took his advice. I discovered something amazing. A sense of peace replaced the anxiety, and I began to experience Jesus as my Prince of Peace in a real way. It was almost as if I could see Him on the deck smiling, reveling in His creation, reigning over the whole excursion.
And as I got a fresh vision of Jesus and kept my eyes on the horizon, I felt His peace that afternoon. I didn't care that the waves didn't change. They were just as choppy, and the boat still pitched and rolled wildly.
But something in me changed. I experienced such a strange and wonderful calm that I went out on the deck and enjoyed the splash of the ocean water on my face. I noticed how the sun was sparkling like diamonds on the water and how gorgeous the day was. I chatted with fellow travelers. A former naval officer told me about the forty-five-foot waves that had rushed over the deck of the navy ship he was on during World War II in the Atlantic. To him, these ten-foot waves were child's play. "It's all about perspective," he told me.
I delighted in the gulls flying over us in the bright blue Maine sky and the school of dolphins jumping in the choppy waters near the boat. We eventually made it back to Pier 8, and as I look back now, the ride really was the highlight of our trip.
The Christian life is rarely a calm harbor ride. It's more like an adventurous ocean excursion where the waves can be huge, the ride bumpy and uncertain or wild and difficult. Things can seem overwhelming. Sometimes we want to get off the boat, and we long for calmer waters.
Still God says, "Look at Me, not the waves. Fix your eyes on Jesus--and don't forget to enjoy the ride!" (see Hebrews 12:2).
Pray
Lord, thank You for being my Prince of Peace--for giving me a calm harbor in the middle of a storm. Amen.