“For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor; Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

More than 600 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah delivered God’s promise of a Savior. There are sixty-one specific prophecies about the Messiah.

There is a lot of math involved in the possibility or probability and accuracy of only one of the prophecies being fulfilled. I am not a math major. I can barely help my 4th grader with factors. So, rest assured we will not be going down any mathematical pathways.

It wouldn’t have been a good bet in Vegas. Why is it important? God delivers what He promises. 

God promised a King. A Mighty Counselor. A Prince of Peace. The government would be on his shoulders.

Nations waited for this King to deliver them from Roman rule. Their deliverance did not fit the plan they created. The mold they shaped for the Messiah. God sent a son who challenged everything they believed, everything they had become.

What promises are you waiting on? Have you already defined how it will look, when it will happen? Have you already added it to your to-do list?

I have learned God wants the best for me. When He promises to restore the broken pieces of our lives, He will. On the journey as we face mountains that refuse to move. On the path paved with tears. He teaches us to listen for his voice. To believe in the promise. To put one foot in front of the other. In the face of a world that tells you to forget. Hold on to the promise. Don’t lose hope.

God promised a King. He delivered a baby in the humblest of circumstances. In the most unlikely place. To two young people of modest means.

The only ones that came to worship the birth. Shepherds and Magicians. There weren’t any big names there.  Even those who knew the Magi were searching for the Messiah, they did not rush to see the biggest event in history. No, God delivers His promises in the quiet moments of our lives, in the most unlikely ways.

Mary brought forth her firstborn son and laid him in a manger.  A King had been born. The Promised Messiah had arrived. There were no royal announcements at the palace. There were no engraved invitations to the gender reveal, there weren’t even any family or friends to witness this birth. A little baby that would divide time. Divide families. Divide religions. Divide Nations. He would also bring peace, joy, hope, salvation.