Living in God's Eternal Now

Scripture – Isaiah 9:6-7: ⁶For 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. ⁷Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Observation – (Write down what you see in the scripture.) Isaiah wrote in the present and future tense. That’s fitting. For God operates from an eternal perspective, where past, present and future are all the same. Isaiah never saw Jesus. Yet he still writes as though He’s already born. Of His reign, Isaiah says it will happen. At the same time it is already an accomplished fact. We just haven’t seen it in its fullness yet. Christmas highlights some of the mystery of our faith. Bethlehem is an experience that has happened, is happening and will happen.

Application – (Write how you will be different today because of what you have just read.) I will live in the present – in what Paul Tillich called “The Eternal Now.” I will remember what God has promised and live as though it has already happened.

Prayer – (Write out a brief prayer.) Lord, thank you for coming. Thank your for coming again and again. Empower me to live as a member of your eternal reign today. And please, bring peace today to our troubled world.