Characteristics of God


Prayer: Dear Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Blessed be Your name on my lips all day long. Fill up my heart with knowledge of You and a better understand of who You are so that our relationship might be strengthened daily. Pour out Your Spirit so that I may believe with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Read: Isaiah 9:1-7

Thoughts: What would the Christmas season be without a reading the stunning prophecy of Isaiah 9? Besides the actual oft-read text from Isaiah these words have also been immortalized in music (Handel’s Messiah being the most famous) and so are very recognizable and easy to remember. Most of us could recite these two verses without looking at them! (And if you can’t, well – maybe a little homework assignment .)

     These are words worth knowing for they give us a glimpse into the personality and make-up of the Messiah who is to come.  Let’s look at them in a little bit of detail, as they are alive with hope, redemption, and peace.

  1. “A Child is born.”  An actual human child. This is a huge concept for the God of the universe has come to us in the flesh to live with us as one of us to carry out the perfect will of the Father.
  2. “A Son is given.” Jesus was always God’s Son, from the beginning. A human child is born, but the Son of God is given, for He already existed.
  3. “Wonderful Counselor.” Astonishingly wonderful; almost beyond description, possessing the wisdom of God Himself and more than willing to bring it to us if only allowed to do so.
  4.  “Mighty God.” Our strong champion. Nothing is bigger or stronger than our God.
  5.  “Everlasting Father.” Continually eternal Daddy. Yes, that’s the word – Daddy; with all of the connotations of warmth, love, compassion, and enduring care that the word Daddy possesses.
  6.  “Prince of Peace.” The ruler and bringer of Shalom; perfect unbreakable peace.
These are the characteristics that Isaiah prophecies about the coming Savior. Granted, this was a prophecy from the distance. Jesus wouldn’t be born for 700 years, and yet by inspiration of the Holy Spirit he pens these words about the One who is promised to come and save us. An often over looked practice of Christian disciple is that of meditating on the characteristic of God. Here we find a perfect list to ponder and marvel at as we think about who God is and what we can expect from Him.

What does this kind of meditation bring to us? Knowledge about the One we love. Here in a few short words we find a portrait of our God that builds faith, strengthens our courage for everyday living, and deeps our intimacy with Him in this verse of amazing revelation. Dwelling upon these traits can only lead to good places for us in our relationship with Him. When we are worried we can look to our Mighty God. When we have questions or doubts, we seek out or Wonderful Counselor. When we are afraid, we can climb onto the lap of our Everlasting Father. And when our peace is shattered we can run under the wings of the Prince of Peace. Do yourself a favor and integrate these Words into your vocabulary about God and dwell on them often throughout the day.

Prayer: Dear Lord God, please help me to know and understand these characteristics as described by Isaiah. When I am troubled, please bring these names quickly to mind and help me to know that You can fulfill every one of these roles on my behalf. In the name of my Prince of Peace I pray. Amen.

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