18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25 NLT
Immanuel. God is with us! What greater peace can we find than knowing God’s presence is with us? Let your mind wander through that unfathomable wonder and miracle.
The God who knows the grains of sand that stretch across every desert and shore. The God who counts the wispy hairs on each baby’s head. The God who formed earth, sky, and sea with the power of His words. The God who breathed life into humanity. That God. The Almighty. Who was and is and is to come. He was sent to earth through the womb of a young woman to be with us.
If you’re looking for peace in your bank account balance or the embrace of a significant other, if you’re relying on political policies, landing your dream job, or your mother-in-law finally accepting you in order to have peace — oh, friend. You will be disappointed and tangled in fear and worry again and again. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a meaningful job, a sound government, and healthy relationships. But we cannot allow those things to rule us and dictate our peace.
Centuries before Jesus was born of a virgin, He was called Sar-Shalom, the Prince of Peace. Sar is the Hebrew word translated as “prince,” and it refers to a ruler, a person in authority, a commander, the head, someone of noble birth. Yes, this is Jesus.
Shalom is the Hebrew word translated as “peace” and means “completeness, soundness, welfare.” Yes, this is Jesus.
By Becky Keife from Create in Me a Heart of Peace, an (in)courage Bible Study.
Leave a Comment
Thank you so much for this message today. I needed to see/read exactly the clarity you’ve used. The Holy Spirit spoke directly to my heart thru your paragraph starting with “If you are looking for peace…”. And I was able to acknowledge deep longings of unfulfilled life dreams that I think I would give me peace, all of which pale in comparison to the peace I’ve already been gifted by my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I simply need to live in and rest on that peace.
Thank you, all of you, who anre involved in writing and publishing these devotionals. They are a huge encouragement and help for me (not just today’s ).
Becky,
I love the word Shalom! People need more Shalom so I shared your devotion x2!
Sending you Shalom,
Lisa Wilt.
Thank you for this message. While my circumstances are not exactly like yours, I have been dealing with feelings of abandonment, not being good enough. My faith in Jesus and reminders like this reading is what gets me through the rough spots
Becky,
This world holds less and less enticement for me as I age. Wanting more & more of Jesus & His shalom. It has been a comfort in many a trial knowing Gods presence is right there beside me. Don’t understand how people get through life without Jesus & His love & peace.
Blessings 🙂