Episode Transcript
CONSECRATION
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
SCRIPTURE
Micah 5:2–5a NIV
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.
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
when the Assyrians invade our land
and march through our fortresses.
CONSIDER THIS
The word of the Lord through the prophets continued to reveal more and more about the nature of the coming Messiah. Micah’s prophecy promises a shepherd leader whose greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. Not only will he “stand and shepherd his flock in the strength . . . [and] in the majesty of the name of the Lord” (v. 4), but “he will be our peace . . .”—Christmas card worthy—“when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses” (v. 5)—probably not making it onto the Christmas card.
While it’s tempting to want to cut and paste the first half of the verse and toss out the second bit, we actually miss the significance of what Micah is saying here in doing so. The disruption of peace as we understand it—freedom from conflict, problems, stress, and so forth—is crucial to understanding the peace Jesus offers.
In the midst of the invasion of their land and losing their fortresses to their enemies, He will be their peace. Not if something bad happens, but when something bad happens, He will be our peace.
I notice the word choice: fortresses. A fortress is a place of security, refuge, protection, strength, and safety. It’s a stronghold where we expect to be safe from the enemy, a place that is not meant to be disturbed, much less overrun by invaders. And yet, the scripture says, “He will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses” (v. 5). These strong, secure places—where we expect to be safe—are not immune to destruction. It’s in these moments of vulnerability, when everything we thought was secure is shaken, that God promises to be our peace. This is why the psalms are full of songs and prayers describing God as a fortress:
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. (Ps. 62:5–6)
We are not promised the absence of pain, suffering, trials, grief, or loss. In fact, Scripture tells us these things will come. Following Jesus doesn’t make us immune to hardship. But we are promised presence. One of the greatest promises of the Bible is that God is with us. That’s what Advent is all about: God being with us (Immanuel).
God does not offer peace by removing the challenges but by entering into them with us; not peace in the absence of adversity, but peace in the midst of it.
The Messiah doesn’t just bring peace, He is peace. He will be our peace, not a change in circumstances or a favorable outcome, but the presence of Jesus Himself. God with us, Immanuel.
And he will be my peace when . . .
There are bills to pay, and the bank account doesn’t add up.
The test results come back negative.
I face the weight of loss that seems too heavy to bear.
The job I thought was secure is no longer mine.
The world around me is chaotic.
I get the diagnosis I never could have imagined.
A relationship I’ve held dear begins to fall apart.
The uncertainty of the future keeps me awake at night.
The fortresses in which I have taken refuge come falling down.
In all of these things, He will be my peace.
RESPONSE PROMPTS
If you had to write a definition for “peace” based on how it’s described in Scripture, what would it be? What does it mean for you personally that Jesus doesn’t just bring peace, but that He is peace? How have you experienced this in your life? Is there a situation or circumstance where you need to experience Jesus’s peace? If so, I encourage you to fill in the blank: He will be my peace when . . . . Read it out loud, write it down, and put it somewhere you’ll see it often.
PRAYER
Lord, You are my good shepherd. My strong fortress. My peace. Thank You for Your promise to be with me. Help me to know this reality more deeply, to recognize that Your presence is always with me, and that You never leave my side. Amen.
