“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be upon his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
This
scripture is probably the most well-known Christmas scripture. Why? It lists
the attributes and titles of Jesus. In other words, this passage lets us know Jesus
has powers that go beyond earthly understanding. Better than that, He will use
them for our benefit. That is awesome news!
What a
relief—that we don’t have to rely only on our own capabilities! I don’t know
about you, but I fail every time try to do something in my own strength.
What Exactly are we Celebrating?
This is a sacred
time of year. We joyfully celebrate the birth of our Savior. He brings us
unconditional love, guidance, and power. Those are priceless attributes! I
would like to explore one of His titles: Prince of Peace.
What Kind of Peace Did Jesus Bring?
Many
contemporaries of our Lord were expecting a political savior, even a warrior.
They looked for an aggressive, strong man who would fight against Rome. What
the Jewish people got, instead, was a gentle, impoverished carpenter.
He was also from one of the least-respected
areas of the country. John 1:46 says
that Nathanael asked Phillip if anything good could come out of Nazareth.
In the
natural, Jesus Christ wasn’t the person of power many of his countrymen were
hoping for. In that case, what exactly is this “peace” that he brought to the
table?
A Spirit of Peace
“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.”—John
14:20 (NIV)
Mental
stability is priceless. It can’t be bought, borrowed, or stolen. Such peace is like
a small boat in the middle of a large sea. There’s lots of water surrounding
it, but the water doesn’t get inside the boat.
The Apostle Paul
He was a
master of finding peace in the middle of chaos. He wrote approximately half of
the New Testament. Most of it was written from prison. At least one epistle was
composed in a prison cell that was little more than a hole in the ground. As a
sufferer of asthma and claustrophobia, I cannot imagine anything more
frightening!
Paul's circumstances didn’t stop him from praising God and knowing that he was going to
an eternal reward.
Could I Hold the Baby?
Please enjoy my cover of this beautiful Christmas song. It’s about remembering the blessings of the Savior’s birth.
Life throws up many roadblocks. Everyone is wounded in some way—mentally, physically, or both. Some of us have near-fatal injuries, and some of us are only bruised. The good news (the gospel) lets us know Jesus’ existence gives each of us access to mental stability in any circumstance.
Related Posts
Please see more about mental stability despite the odds in my book. Click here: Accept NO Trash Talk: Overcoming the Odds.
Are you cultivating a spirit of peace?
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