Shouldering the Government

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6 

A prophetic promise ages from fulfillment and is accomplished in Christ. Not in the way some would imagine, but in the way of glory and so much better than dreamed of. 

Our Savior comes into the world, born into mess and blood and real life. He is a gift; through his perfect obedience and divine authority, he will rule all things. Not as a tyrant, but as a caregiver, a strong, eternal instigator of peace. 

This is Jesus as a gift to us.

 We can be derailed by all kinds of distractions this way or that, even the highest of concern for our political and governmental realities. But we are called to trust in this Prince of Peace, the One we know holds all and works everything for our good and his glory. 

Today how can you move off of the scary things of this world to the surpassing wisdom and care of the Son? Will you give those worries and concerns over to Jesus and ask for an experience of his counseling, strength, and peace? This is a prayer Jesus loves to answer, come what may; he is our security and our hope. 

Hope in him. Even in the midst of trouble, hope in Jesus.

Graves of Craving

"While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague." -Numbers 11:33 

The whole thrust of Numbers 11 ends here. The people are restless; they have become bored with the daily provision of food from God and tired from the journey to the Promised Land. A reckless few begin grumbling about the blessings of God and incite a riot of discontent and complaint before God. 

What do these complainers in the wilderness have to do with us? Quite a lot actually. While we may not be walking through the wilderness, we are prone to disregard the blessing of God and begin to have “dreams” of more or remember the good ol' days when things were different. We set aside the gift of grace that is the cross and resurrection, and in our forgetting, life goes off the rails. 

While the meat they complained for was still between their teeth, all of those that had the craving died. Judgment. Cleaning the camp. Preparing the faithful for the Promised Land. God brings judgment to reveal his glory; the people who are lost in their lust are struck down and not left to their craving. 

Today judgment may not look like this. For his greatest glory, Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross of judgment—one we deserved—and redeemed the greedy and lustful (that's us). Then by his resurrection, he gives us a life in his Kingdom with new purpose, new vigor, and a new destination. When the struggles and aches of craving come now, it is to these truths we return; we remember—and in that remembrance, we rejoice and worship this gracious God. 

Today, if you are in Christ, your complaining is covered by his blood. The judgment against it has been handled, and you are now free as a Kingdom citizen to set aside those lusts for something else or return to the oppression of whichever slave master was yours. Be free in Christ; recognize the provision of his grace, and live.