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The Birth Announcement
We love to receive birth announcements. It is exciting to see the baby’s full name, day of birth, length, and weight. These days they even come with a picture.
The birth announcement in the scripture reading arrived seven hundred and forty two years before the birth. There was no prediction of when the birth would actually take place. A man named Isaiah was sent by God to tell the people of Judah. At that time, they were divided from Israel, and close to civil war. They needed to know if God was with them.
The announcement gave specific details about the baby that are not usually known in advance. From Isaiah 9:6 we read, ‘’For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulder, and his name will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Thankfully, we live two thousand years after this birth we now celebrate every year at Christmas. His life gave us examples of how to live. His death forgave our sin past, present, and future.
At the end of time, he will defeat the prince and power of the air and throw him and all evil into the lake of fire, and He will reign over Heaven and Earth forever and ever.
Looking at his characteristic of Wonderful, the characteristics that follow it give reasons for this wonder. His Counsel is available to us now through His Words written in the Bible and prayer.
As Mighty God, He is at one with The Almighty Father who is all knowing, everywhere, and present with us now. And, Everlasting Father assures us there will be no end to his care.
What is the Prince of Peace doing now? Is not our nation and the world in need of peace?
I know when my thoughts do not stay in the moment and jump ahead to the next or fall back to the past, I stir up worries. When I make myself still, I can always hear God say you don’t need this misery. Turn to my words in Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be know to God; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” When I spend time in prayer, my peace is restored.
As part of my Christmas celebration, I am looking forward to listening to “Messiah", composed by George Frederic Handel in 1741, with text by Charles Jennens using this scripture in part one.
My prayer: Come Lord Jesus come, come quickly and establish your reign forever and ever with us for eternity.