Read: Isaiah 9:2-7 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
light! sunbursts of light!
You repopulated the nation,
you expanded its joy.
Oh, they’re so glad in your presence!
Festival joy!
The joy of a great celebration,
sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—
all their whips and cudgels and curses—
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance
as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian.
The boots of all those invading troops,
along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,
Will be piled in a heap and burned,
a fire that will burn for days!
For a child has been born—for us!
the gift of a son—for us!
He’ll take over
the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
Strong God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He’ll rule from the historic David throne
over that promised kingdom.
He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing
and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
will do all this.
When our older son was quite young he insisted on wearing a towel
tucked into the the neck of his t-shirt to form a cape. Instantly he was transformed into a superhero, fully believing he was capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound! Of course his father and I played along because it was wonderful and fun to see him use the gift of his imagination. But we knew all the while that the time would come when his zeal would wane and something else would capture his attention.
Fortunately the zeal of God never fades away. As beloved children,
God’s enthusiasm for us is amazing—especially in view of how often we fail to be the people God has made us to be. We need to be saved, often from ourselves, as we wound one another by our words and deeds.
But God didn’t send a “caped crusader” to our rescue. Instead of a
towel, God wrapped authority around his son’s shoulders: authority as the Prince of Peace, to heal our wounds and restore us to a right relationship with God and each other. Yes, justice and righteousness started with an innocent newborn laid in a manger, continued with a sinless human being lifted up on a cross, and remain to this day and into eternity in our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Thank you wondrous God for your everlasting zeal and love
revealed to us in the gift of your Son Jesus Christ. May we draw ever closer to this Prince of Peace that we might be found more faithful to his authority in our lives. Make us living witnesses to all he has done for us.
In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.[Chris Suerdieck, Emmitsburg, Maryland, United States]
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Society of St. Andrew
Gleaning America's Fields
Feeding America's Hungry
3383 Sweet Hollow Rd.
Big Island, Virginia 24526 United States
800-333-4597
Church@EndHunger.org
More information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger-relief programs - Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project, Harvest of Hope and Hunger Relief Advocate Initiative - is available online at EndHunger.org.
Feed your spiritual hunger during the weeks leading up to Christmas with these daily devotions from Society of St. Andrew, offering scripture readings, meditations, and prayers focusing on the coming birth of Jesus, the “Prince of Peace.”
And as you feed your spiritual hunger, we invite you to give generously to feed the physical hunger of nearly 50 million low-income Americans through the gleaning and food distribution ministries of Society of St. Andrew.
Through your faithful giving, as you are fed, so will our hungry brothers and sisters be fed. Every dollar you share will put 50 servings of healthy, nourishing food on their plates this winter.
May God’s light shine brightly through you in this holy season.
From: sosapr@endhunger.org
3383 Sweet Hollow Rd.
Big Island, Virginia 24526 United States
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