DTOTD – The Coming King
” ….But you, O Bethlehem Ephraith, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, FROM YOU SHALL FORTH FOR ME ONE WHO IS TO BE RULER IN ISRAEL, whose coming forth is from of old and ancient days…..and HE SHALL BE THEIR PEACE…..” Micah 5:2, 5a
In a season of busyness and checklists and grocery lists, baking time, cooking time, family time, work time, rest time, present time, worship time, church time, and all the other times that are pulling for our attention, there is little to no time for peace.
Maybe not peace and quiet, but memories, feelings, and emotions of peace. Where we allow time to slowly slip by as we sit with our family and remember the things that were, things that are and things that will be. Peace that rests our hearts, minds and souls.
In the midst of the chaotic busyness there is a chance for us to use this time to find peace that we have not found and not felt at any other point of the year.
The above text is from the prophet Micah in the OId Testament, as he was prophesying to the nation of Israel about coming turmoil and tribulation that they will endure of being taken over….in verse 5, he states what this coming ruler will bring that will come from Bethlehem…
Peace.
In a state of confusion and chaos that the Israelites were in, there was a message of peace. When all else seemed to be fading into darkness and into a pit that will be incredibly difficult to get out of. Peace was the coming message.
Fast forward a couple hundred years to Matthew 1 / Luke 2, the coming of this prophesy takes place. The birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God is born in a time that was full of chaos and confusion and misunderstanding. The Roman empire had swallowed up so much land that rules and regulations and censuses were being taken for the first time or coming from a land that most Hebrews would never see. But it was in this moment, in the moment of busyness and travel and confusion and bad travel plans and cancelled reservations that Jesus made his way onto the scene.
Immanuel has come. As Richard Foster so eloquently states in his book Life With God, that the desire and outcome of the grand story of God is that Jesus comes to earth as a baby to show and prove that the place that God desires to be is WITH his people. Not separated or far away from or not in touch with, but one that is intimately with his people every day.
In a season where people were lost and looking for answers. In a season where people were hurting and looking for someone to heal them, maybe not physically but spiritually. And even some that were seeking healing physically. Jesus came to the world to give them peace.
In John 16, Jesus, in his Farewell Message to his disciples with him and to us, tells us:
” I have said these things to you, that in me you may have PEACE. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. ” John 16:33
Jesus came to Bethlehem to bring Peace.
Jesus spoke a message of Peace.
Jesus died so that you can have Peace.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so you can have Peace.
Jesus calls you to Himself to offer you peace.
Will you find and reach out and accept his Peace?
Take a moment today, tomorrow or sometime before the calendar switches and as Jesus to bring you Peace that he can only give.
