The Light That Is Hope
by Marianna Meachen, Director of Care Ministries
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV)
Have you ever had a night of worry and sleeplessness, when everything seems hopeless? That no matter what you do, you don’t think things can ever be right again?
And then morning comes and with it the beautiful first rays of the dawn. In that moment you feel a new hope for your situation. In my wildest imagination I could never have thought the light of the world would come in the form of an infant. And yet, God’s word tells us, ‘for to us a child is born.’
This sparks memories of Christmas Eve year after year when my mother would read to us the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2. She would point out the different characters in the manger from our little crèche purchased from Sears & Roebuck. Using those figures, she painted a picture of what it might have been like on that night in Bethlehem. I remember how she would then talk to us about what this little baby Jesus would do as He grew up and why He was so important in our lives.
In verses 6 and 7, the prophet Isaiah was doing the same thing to Israel. Israel had been under judgment from God, and God used Isaiah to bring a glimpse of hope; some good news within a prophecy that would change the world forever.
These two verses are about the same baby named Jesus that my mother shared with me and my sisters every Christmas. Isaiah’s prophecy describes the child with names that speak to the attributes and characteristics of Jesus that are so real to us today.
Jesus is Wonderful Counselor that leads you into wisdom and discernment. Jesus is Mighty God whose dominion holds power over the enemy and your problems. Jesus is Everlasting Father that protects and loves you because you matter to Him. Jesus is Prince of Peace who will bring a calm to the storm in your life with His righteous and faithful nature.
Through Isaiah’s prophetic words, God brought hope to the people of Israel––a hope that, according to verse 7, will last ‘from that time on and forever.’ Forever includes today. The hope we have in Christ is one that can carry us through the loneliness of a pandemic, the bad news of disease or loss in our families, the sin that tries to bind us up. These things don’t have to define us when our hope is in the Son who was given to die for you and for me to live in freedom forever.
Prayer: Abba, Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be born among us, to serve us and to die for us. Lord, may Your nature as a Counselor, as Mighty God, as Father, and as a Prince of Peace become real to us. Even right now I pray and ask that You help us see You as these things. From that place, God, may we rest in the hope that doesn’t disappoint. Thank You for your faithfulness and for loving us first. We love You, and we need You in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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