Our Peace

He will stand and shepherd his flock

    in the strength of the Lord,

    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they will live securely, for then his greatness

    will reach to the ends of the earth.

And he will be our peace (Micah 5:4, 5).

Our Peace is a person. His name is Jesus, and His coming was foretold by the prophet Micah, whose name in Hebrew means “Who is like Yahweh?”

Micah was a contemporary of the better-known prophet Isaiah, who magnificently prophesied about the Prince of Peace who would be also be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and the Everlasting Father (See Isaiah 9, and click here to read 55 Old Testament prophesies of Jesus.)

What Micah and Isaiah both knew is that the Messiah would be our peace. The peace a people walking in darkness need to see, the peace those living in the shadow of death yearn for.

Peace will never be found in a government, a united effort between nations, pleasant circumstances, right laws, good health, wealth, or tolerance.

Peace can only be found in a person, the person called Immanuel, God with Us. The baby, born in a humble, rough-hewn manger. #Christmas #PeaceonEarth Click To Tweet

His name is Jesus, and He came to save us from our sins. He is our Peace.

Do you wonder if peace is possible anymore? So many people I know are completely bent over under the burden of The World as we Now Know It.

Two weeks ago, within one hour, I received five emergency prayer requests, all about horrific, terrifying events. Followers of Jesus around the world are finding their faith refined, strained, tempered, and tested. 

In over twenty years of work among the persecuted church, I have grown accustomed, although never comfortable, with the narrative of senseless suffering in their lives because of their faith in Jesus. I myself was persecuted for my faith. So were many of my friends and colleagues.

I will never forget the worship service we had the Sunday after a friend was arrested in front of his family. We were all on high alert, aware we were being watched by the secret police, prepared with contingency plans for whatever might come.

We gathered together, holding our little ones close. The sunlight that day came through the windows like warm honey, filling us with peace as we worshiped the One who is our Peace.

But that was Over There, in that Far Away Place where the church had to meet in secret, at great risk. Can we know such peace here? After all, few in the West have suffered to the point of bloodshed or been tortured for their belief in the Messiah.

Persecution comes in many forms and no follower of the Suffering Servant is exempt. It can be mental, emotional, financial, and physical. When persecution comes, it will either strengthen or crush its bearer, depending on where one goes for peace. 

I am finding that immediate dependence on Jesus is a keen survival skill. When the trial, the worrisome thought, the fear, assaults me, I instantly drop to my knees. I used to research, investigate, gather information, strategize, and then bring my plan for peace to the Lord and ask for His help in executing it. No more. He has me in a school of dependence, and I am learning that peace comes quickly when I quickly cry out to Him instead of any other resource.

Jesus gives peace before we understand, before we have the final diagnosis, before that beloved prodigal returns, before those wounds heal, before we see the fulfillment of our hope, before we know what tomorrow holds. The Prince of Peace gives peace when we ask for it. He gives Himself. And He promises never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Peace is possible this Christmas. Peace has not yet been removed from the earth, troubled one. Revelation speaks of a day when it will be. (See Revelation 6:3-4). But today, right now, we who know Christ know the way to Peace.

Hold on to the One who is our Peace. Then tell someone else about Him this Christmas. So many need to know.

Lord, forgive me for the many other ways I seek peace. You are my Peace. I will trust you. Amen.

@audreycfrank