I love to share my devotional readings with you from Sarah Young's Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence, because generally I find them to be just what I need to hear for that day (or even for that minute). So, I went a little ahead to see what God has in store for me (us) for December. There is always a starting theme for the month, and December's theme was For unto us a child is born…And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6. I am sure that all of us know that passage, but what was amazing about this for me was that I had chosen that passage to be the Scripture verse for December for the Poster Board I had displayed in our kitchen area at work - the very same passage, so I thought I must be on to something.
This one verse seems to say it all, doesn't it? Our God is a Wonderful Counselor because who else do we know that we can go to with all our troubles and get the right counsel at the right time? He has loved us from the beginning and will love us to the end, so no problem is too big or too small, such that He desires us to bring it to Him, and not try to handle it on our own strength. Frequently, it seems we choose our own solutions, without inviting Him into the process, and when those don't pan out, we finally ask and listen to Him, and only then do we reluctantly acknowledge, "oh, I get it now."
Our God is a Mighty God. There is none other like Him, even though as a believing people, we sometimes seem to lose sight of this. With all of the day-to-day struggles (some self-made), we get so distracted from God's presence in our lives. It's very hard for us to just take the time to "be still and know that He is God", and spend quality time basking in His presence. Yet, many of us go from one thing to the next, exhausting ourselves, never taking the time to really figure out what it is we're seeking.
Our God is our Everlasting Father. I know for me that one of the true times that I experience a sense of calm is when I take the time to read God's Word filled with promises that offer comfort and peace. All of us need the certainty of knowing what happens next beyond this world. It saddens me to think of atheists, who believe that there is no God, and agnostics, who are sitting on the fence and don't know or choose not to go either way. However, both are lost and it is incomprehensible to me how they get through their days, without a belief that there is a God who (a) loves them unconditionally, (b) has created each of them with individual uniqueness for His specific purposes, (c) is there to help them through any and all trials and adversities, and most importantly, (d) promises eternal life with Him in Heaven. How hopeless it would be to think that this world is all that there is.
Our God is a Prince of Peace. If we really stopped and thought about it, what is it "in this world" that offers us peace, of any kind? Certainly, we only need see what is happening in the headlines to know that none of these things do - - - money (here today and gone tomorrow), status and titles (what was so-and-so's name?), possessions (too much "stuff"), fame (only for a fleeting moment). Only God promises us peace that is based solely on His unconditional love for us. Jeremiah 31:3 offers peace, saying: "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." I really love the passages from Lamentations 3:22-26 [on a plaque I gave to my husband that is displayed in his office as a daily reminder] - "Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."
Promises we can peacefully count on - God loves us with an everlasting love that is with us from the time we are born until we die and spend eternity with Him. I'll end with God's words because He can do it so much better than I can - John 14:27: "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.
Wishing you a blessed weekend and week, as we enter December to celebrate CHRISTmas. You are invited to join us Sunday for worship service at 10:00 a.m. at Grace Harbor Church & School if you do not have a Church home. Love in Him, Charlotte
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