Longing for the Peace Only Jesus Can Bring - Your Nightly Scripture - September 24th
Longing for the Peace Only Jesus Can Bring
Evening Scripture
Isaiah, Chapter 11
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord — and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.
Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, and Judah’s enemies will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim. They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east. They will subdue Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
The Lord will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals. There will be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.
Evening Reflection
I see it everywhere. The feverish eyes, the agape mouths, and listening ears. If you look closely, you can see it too. The obsession with noise, distraction, and being busy. We call it normal, but is it really the life Christ envisioned for each of us?
Today, many people are searching for peace in a world that’s overstimulated, anxious, chaotic, and uncertain. So, they buy Netflix subscriptions, more Starbucks lattes, and luxury vacations. And yet, they’re still empty inside. They can’t seem to find the peace they so desperately long for. Anything they fill themselves with only goes in one end and directly out the other. Even when circumstances seem calm, our hearts still feel restless.
When you think about your life, where are you longing for peace right now? Is it about a situation? A relationship? A job? A financial situation? A diagnosis? Whatever it is, name the worries, pressures, or uncertainties weighing on your heart. Speak them out loud as a prayer to God. Doing this won’t necessarily change the situation or the outcome, but it can serve as a reminder that God is over them all. His peace will reign even if you can’t feel or see that peace right now.
Then, answer these questions honestly with Him:
Have I been looking to people, achievements, or circumstances to give me peace?
What is keeping me from fully resting in Jesus today?
How might God be inviting me to trust Him more deeply?
As you do, don’t judge yourself for your answers, but use them as knowledge and insight. Just like Isaiah painted a picture of the Prince of Peace that would come through the promised Messiah, our lives can too, even feel peaceful in the face of calamity. Then and now, Jesus is the Prince of Peace who brings hope to a broken world, and His peace alone is deeper than the absence of problems; it’s the presence of Himself (Christ).
My life is often still full of chaos, noise, and anxiety. Yours most likely is, too. But one day, Jesus will make all things new and establish perfect peace forever. That’s an anchored promise of truth we can build our lives upon and dock ourselves in when times get tough.
This passage reminds us that all of us will go through hard things, but Jesus was given to us as our burden-bearer. What burdens do you need to place at His feet? Have you been searching for peace apart from Him or in Him? More importantly, how can you practice resting in His promises instead of your fears today?
As you prepare for rest, ask yourself where you’re placing your trust. Then, invite the Holy Spirit to bring a sense of peace that only He can.
Evening Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Tonight, I want to bring my worries, fears, and burdens before you. I lay them down. Please help me to stop striving for peace in places that will never satisfy, and instead, look to you alone. Even when it hurts or I don’t understand, I will trust that you’re with me in every circumstance I face. Allow me to rest in the hope and peace that only you can provide. I love you, Lord.
Amen.
Agape, Amber
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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