Isaiah 9:6b And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

It makes a difference what we call God, because it really does influence how we think about Him. This passage is of course about His Son, the Christ, who when He walked this earth was called Yeshua, or Jesus, but those terms carry widely – sometimes wildly – different images for different people. We certainly don’t associate the name Jesus with its meaning, “Yahweh is Salvation.” That’s why this passage is both helpful and important. Actually, I feel it applies to all three members of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We lose out when we try to put God in a box in any way. “Wonderful Counsel­or.” Often we feel like we need advice, guidance, more than we need anything else. This tells us that God cares, that He will indeed guide us as we need, beyond what we could imagine. “Mighty God.” We must not forget that God is powerful, that He is indeed “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20) “Everlasting Father.” “Father” was a title often claimed by rulers in those days, and it is still applied to leaders today. However, this is Father in the fullest sense of the word, including all the love and affection, as well as authority and discipline, that should come from every good father. “Prince of Peace.” In those days and now, people are more than tired of war, in every sense of “tired.” The root cause of all war is mankind’s rebellion against God, and that is taken care of in Christ. (Acts 10:36, Romans 5:1) When we understand these titles and take them to heart, our faith is deepened and strengthened and we walk in the peace and joy God intends for us.

This passage is so familiar, from Christmas after Christmas, that I was initially not excited about reading it yet again. That’s a good lesson in not letting familiarity dull our appreciation for the Word! I too need to be reminded of these characteristics of my Lord, so that I may not be shaken by all I experience. The world as a whole is a mess, and my life hardly seems less chaotic. It is only when I stand firm in faith (just as we read yesterday) that I can begin to deal with it all. Uncertainty can be very stressful, so the more of it there is in my life, the more I need to focus on Jesus Christ my Lord, who is “the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Father, thank You for all that You are bringing me through these days. Thank You that my body is honest, not pretending more faith than I have. I didn’t plan to wake up before 4 this morning! Help me keep growing, applying the faith I do have so that I may receive Your abundant supply. Help me reach out to those around me who likewise struggle with faith in various ways. Thank You for this reminder that I have no “high horse” from which to talk down to them. May we grow together in seeing and appreciating You as You really are, so that we may experience the victory that You have for us, (1 John 5:4) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!