Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
(Read Isaiah 9)
I heard a great tip last week from a podcast I listen to. If we want to work through our problems, if we want to find joy, to be truly happy, a good first step is to praise God. It sounded too simple to me. As a matter of act, it actually sounded like disjointed advice. If I’m mired in a life crisis, how is exalting God going to make things better. Hold on and enjoy the ride.
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago.
Psalm 95:1-3
This Psalm has been categorized as one of the “enthronement psalms” because of its focus on God’s eternal kingship. It’s purpose was to remind anyone who doubted, that God was still in control. Israel had been exiled to Babylon for turning away from God, not just rejecting Him, but for supplementing Him with other things. They worshipped other gods, idols, and statues. We do the same thing, when we live like God’s not enough by himself. We add rituals, lust, greed, self-pity, drugs, sex, and anything we think will help us get to the land of happiness. To fix things. The writer of this Psalm was impressing upon his readers the never-ending greatness of God. The writer wanted us to know that God Himself is sufficient.
The podcast message still rings clear in my mind. We should praise God for 15 minutes every day. He never mentioned the change that happens after, but I will in this devotional. I first did it on a run one morning. It was difficult to keep my thoughts continuously focused on that theme for the first 5 or so minutes, but it got easier when I let the side thoughts and distractions flow out of my head. My praise of our perfect and everlasting God became the cornerstone of the next 10 minutes of my run. During this time, it was like a dark cloud was lifted from me. It drifted away. Everything seemed sunnier, brighter, and more colorful. It was as if everyone and everything I passed by was a blessing.
It was a conversation. I didn’t expect anything of our time together but boy was I surprised at how it changed me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a work in progress and still make mistakes by the hour, but when I’m focused on God, I’m simply in a different place – spiritually, emotionally, literally.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:15-17
Paul was urging the congregation at Colossae in modern day Turkey to keep first things first. To praise God with complete reverence and live with complete joy and adoration of God in the name of Jesus. He wanted to point out to them that in every aspect of life, even the ones that aren’t spiritual, we should be able to honestly say, “I’m doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
When we do things for others, we are doing things for God’s creations. So we’re actually doing them for Him too! God is the only one who knows every single thing we think or do. Our lives have an audience of one. “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” (Colossians 3:23). Every single thing we do, every step, every word that comes out of our mouth, every thought we have should be an offering to God.
Our praise is more than words pointing heavenward, it is a confirmation that is displayed in faithfulness and trust. After several sessions of my 15-minutes with God, I have been exposed to a sort of calling, that in order to really honor God, I need to connect praise and obedience. I need to follow His word, I need to honor and glorify Him in how I live. It’s another way I’m being renewed and refined.
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.
Of the greatness 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.
Isaiah 9:6-7
We all know someone who needs help. Everyone has experienced at least one moment when problems got so big, it became apparent that outside help was necessary. We don’t always see it when we’re going through it, but our needs require a forever solution. When I consider my prayers over the years, I sometimes see a disturbing pattern. Many of them are prayers for temporary solutions. Jesus didn’t leave heaven to come here to provide temporary fixes, to put band-aids on our cuts and bruises. He came to end earthly battles. He came to remove the sting of death permanently.
Jesus fulfilled more than 300 prophesies from the Old Testament. This wasn’t poetic license, it was God’s way of authenticating Jesus. In my 15-minute blocks when I’m praising God, of course I’m exalting Jesus Christ as well. I refer to some of the names given Him in the Bible: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Wonderful also meant awesome. Jesus was the living incarnation of God’s awesome glory.
- Our mighty God was not just the God who subdued storms, He fought with and defeated death.
- Everlasting Father, He was, is, and always will be our loving father for every second of our existence on earth and in heaven.
- Prince of Peace who will restore our broken relationships and assures us an eternal destiny.
After my 15-minutes of praise, I always love more. I love people, creation, and myself more. I’m not sure if that’s supposed to happen but it does. Praising God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit isn’t guaranteed to remove a problem, but it might help. It’s not guaranteed to make me feel better, but it can. Praising God won’t grant me a perfect life here, but it is guaranteed in heaven.
I have too many friends who are going through serious spiritual, health, and emotional challenges. Some are burned out, some don’t believe in God, and some are disappointed with life. For them, waiting on God has been too hard and takes too long. I’m not sure we’re ever going to be comfortable here because we weren’t created for this world. Only God in the next world can ever fulfill us. And that’s definitely worth praising.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42:11
Key Applications:
- Read Isaiah 9. If you’re like me, it reminds you of Christmas. Mediate on it. What else does it speak to you? Let God’s perfection soak into your thoughts.
- Try spending 15-minutes each day this week praising God. When other thoughts creep in, let them wash out like the tides. Praise, lift up, and exalt Him.
- Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Consider what these titles mean to you as you’re praising Him. See if you notice a difference in yourself after you’re finished.
Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.