And He will be called 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. Isaiah 9:6

Today we will look at the last descriptive name given to the long-awaited Messiah in Isaiah’s prophecy. Here are the previous posts if you missed them:

• WONDERFUL COUNSELOR
• MIGHTY GOD
• EVERLASTING FATHER

Prince of Peace

This last name given to the coming King seems like the most obvious, but there’s more to the title Prince of Peace than you may think. Prince means, “the head person, leader, lord, keeper, ruler”. The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, means more than absence from conflict or calmness of the spirit. Shalom carries a greater connotation of well-being, completeness and wholeness. It’s what I call the full-meal-deal of peace.

Peace with God

First and foremost, Jesus makes it possible for us to have a right relationship with the Father. Through Him, we have peace with God.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. Romans 5:1-2 NLT

Peace with God cannot be earned or achieved. We receive peace with God by placing our faith in the risen Savior.

If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to take for granted the way of peace offered through Jesus. Personal access to the Father is all I’ve ever known. It’s important for me to immerse myself in Old Testament scriptures that remind me of a time when access to Almighty God was reserved only for a few – when only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to meet with God and only a handful of men could hear God’s voice.

This Christmas I want to remember that peace with God is only possible through Jesus.

Peace Within

While peace with God would have certainly been enough, Jesus also came to speak peace to our souls. Peace within is one of the greatest gifts of all.

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 14:27

Before Jesus departed, He promised us all the gift of peace. His peace. A peace beyond all understanding.

Most of us know this to be true.

But when we look at the world around us, as we engage in conversations with friends, when we scroll through Facebook, the gaping need for peace within is palpable. 

The world is desperate for it.

Jesus, be my peace.

One of my favorite verses speaks to this peace we all long for. It says:

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:3-4

God keeps us in perfect peace when we fix our minds on Him – when we keep our thoughts on and our trust in the only One who can truly keep us.

When I read this verse, I picture a child resting her head on her father’s lap. As long as she stays there, with her full weight supported by her ever-capable dad, she rests secure. And so it is with us. When we place the full weight of our lives (every care, every burden, every circumstance) onto the lap of our Heavenly Father, supported by His mighty power and unchanging love, we can rest secure.

We don’t arrive at peace. It can’t be created, conjured up or negotiated. We only find real peace in the person of Jesus. 

This Christmas, let’s lean our full weight on Jesus. He will be our peace. 

**I have a small Christmas gift for you. It will be in your inbox by the end of the week.**