I think it’s safe to write that 2017 was anything but boring. On a national level we inaugurated a new president, weathered literal storms and fires, mourned loss through senseless tragedy, discovered a lot of secret sin played out in public, and more I’m probably forgetting.
Just last week a lot of attention was focused on an election with polar reactions. People were either elated, or quite upset.
What a year.
Especially with the elections and government, I watched my Facebook feed turn pretty nasty. It saddened me, but I also had to be careful. I tend to get caught up in negativity and gossip, so one way I avoided a lot of drama was changing the settings. A few people went from friends to acquaintances, so I didn’t have to get involved, yet I didn’t unfriend. I tried to keep in mind that it’s great to live in a country where we can have opinions without the fear of imprisonment or worse, and that when people share so deeply, that shows passion. That overall can be a good thing.
The challenge was the negativity lasted more than a season. It has been on-going, and tensions are high. With the Christmas season, it is important to me to focus on the Good News, not the fake, or the mean. How is that possible?
“For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6, NLT, Biblegateway.com
It’s a verse so associated with Christmas that it’s easy to overlook it. Do you see it?
The government will rest on his shoulders.
The Christmas Child is not only Our Savior, He’s our Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. AND—-the government will rest on his shoulders.
Not mine. Not CNN. Not Fox. Not on the president of this country or the ruler of North Korea. Everything that is going on in politics is not for me to worry about. Care? I do, deeply. But the burden is on Him, not me. What a freeing feeling!
Knowing this, my journal is filled with prayer requests I lift up for salvations, wisdom, discernment, provision, and safety for our leaders and their families. The division, negativity, and hate that I am seeing and reading, that’s not where my focus is. My eyes are above because I have faith. I have to believe Jesus has this under control. When I doubt, and I definitely waver, I look to this verse.
Not only does it say the government is on His shoulders, it says it will rest there. Not spin out of control on His shoulders. Not flail or fight, but rest.
That changes everything for me, even when I want to find a reason to join the commentary. Instead, I avoid the drama the best I can and take it all to my prayer closet.
And the peace I’ve had regarding this has been more than a season. It has been on going.
And it’s helped me enjoy a beautiful Christmas season.
I wish you all Christ’s peace this Christmas and beyond. Thank you so much for being a part of Christians Read!
