God's Ultimate Promise
God’s shalom is more than a distant dream—it is the deep, steady rhythm of His love, moving toward us even now.
Christmas lies well behind us now, but Isaiah’s description of the promised Messiah still resonates:
"For to us a child is born…
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6 NIV
Of course, the Prince of Peace is the Prince of Shalom – the “Prince of Life Flourishing as God Intends” -- the “Prince of God’s Promise” of justice and joy, safety and sufficiency, restoration and right relationship.
Jesus demonstrated this Kingdom promise to the thronging crowds who followed him. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, delivered the possessed, and befriended the outcasts. Jesus’s miracles verified the way life will be when the Kingdom of God is fully come.
This is not wishful thinking; it’s a glimpse of God’s heart for the world. A glimpse that eventually will become eternal reality.
Sometimes, in our weary, fractured world, that kind of peace feels far away. But the promise of shalom is not only a future promise. Jesus has come—and still comes—into every hurting space, every longing heart, every brokenness in need of healing. We live in the the “now-but-not-yet” borderland of God’s in-breaking kingdom.
Where do you need peace today? A reconciled relationship? A quieted soul? A wrong made right? God’s shalom is more than a distant dream—it is the deep, steady rhythm of His love, moving toward us even now.
Prayer: God of all peace, involve us in your Kingdom’s grace and glory. Show us where your promised peace is at work now in this world, as we look forward to its full presence in the world to come. It is in the name of the Prince of Peace, we pray. Amen.
