“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.” — Isaiah 9:6
At Christmastime, we celebrate that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:6) emptied Himself and became a man (Philippians 2:7). He came near to us, born as a baby (Luke 1:31).
It’s easy for us in the Church to romanticize Jesus’ birth or time as a baby. However, just like any other birth throughout history, our Prince of Peace entered the world through pain and took His first breath through cries. The fullness of God in bodily form (Colossians 2:9), baby Jesus, arrived through contractions, blood, and cries.
The image of baby Jesus crying, alongside the likely cries of His mother Mary, reflects the essence of true peace being born into our humanity. We have a God who sympathizes with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). His offer of peace amidst the storm comes from one who has truly experienced the waves. And into the storm you face, He says, “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39).
This gritty and gutsy peace affirms human dignity by acknowledging the depth of brokenness and the fragility of each person created in God’s image.
He Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14) and remains the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus is always peace. He was no less the Prince of Peace as a baby crying on that likely not-so-silent night. Peaceful, yes. Silent, not likely.
This Advent season, we see the power and beauty of the peace offered in Jesus in a more vivid light—one we can relate to and cling to. “For unto us, a child is born…”
