Based on Micah 5:2-5a

The morning I put together this devotion, I woke up to this news headline: Rebels seized the Syrian capital of Damascus. President al-Assad and his family flee to Russia. The prime minister of Syria has agreed to hand control of the government over to the rebel-led “Salvation Government.” That is somewhat ironic because this rebel group known as HTS is a designated terrorist organization.

This transfer of power comes after 13 years of civil war and 50 years of brutal rule by the Assad family. And it ends a war that has killed thousands and has displaced millions and has left an economy that has been hollowed out by global sanctions.

On top of it all, we still have more than 900 United States war fighters that are stationed in Syria, fighting alongside Kurdish-led forces.

But there’s more: 2.6 percent of the population in Syria is Christian, which accounts for just over 500,000 people in Syria who are Christian. And their future is uncertain because Al-Qaeda has urged the HTS rebels to turn against the crusaders. It’s a pejorative term for Christians.

I wonder how these Christians, our brothers and sisters in Christ in Syria, will be celebrating Christmas this year. What will their celebrations look like as they welcome Jesus coming in the flesh to be their Savior?

But this is how it has always been for God’s people. The prophet Micah lived about 700 years before Jesus took on human flesh. And maybe you know the passage I’m going to quote—maybe it’s very familiar to you. Or maybe it’s not. But this is one of those passages from Micah chapter 5 that you’ll hear read in church on Christmas Eve or at a children’s Christmas service. It’s the one that talks about Bethlehem being the place where the King would be born.

You may know this passage very well, but the verses that follow are ones that maybe you haven’t really heard before. Right after Micah points out the fact that the coming King will be born in Bethlehem, he says this: “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses” (Micah 5:4,5a).

Did you catch that? Micah didn’t say if, but he said when the Assyrians march through our fortresses. The foreign army, the Assyrians who lived in modern-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and you guessed it, Syria, would come and attack the northern kingdom of Israel and completely destroy it. And they would march against the capital city of Jerusalem in the south.

But in spite of that, what does the coming King promise to do for his people? Even when enemies march through their fortified cities? He will stand and shepherd his flock, and he will be their peace.

You see, when God talks about peace, it doesn’t mean he is always going to bring peace between warring nations. It doesn’t mean you and I will always have a peaceful feeling. It doesn’t always mean that there’s going to be a peace even for God’s people in foreign countries, or even in this country.

What it does mean is that in spite of war and uncertainty and persecution for Christians, in spite of the war that may unfortunately rear its ugly head in your home as family members argue and fight, in spite of war that may separate you from family members this Christmas because they’re serving far away from you overseas, in spite of family members and friends who don’t share the same reason that you do when you celebrate Christmas and maybe have some choice words for you because of it—in spite of all of that, the King born in Bethlehem promises to be your strength. He promises to be your shepherd and promises that you will rest securely and that he will be your peace. This peace is knowing that Jesus is with you.

In spite of all of the things that are going on in the world and in spite of the things that are going on in your personal life, you have the peace of knowing that God will use his almighty strength and power to be your shepherd, to protect you and keep you safe.

You have the peace of knowing that Jesus came as the King in Bethlehem, and he came to die on a cross and to rise again from the dead so that you know that no matter what happens in this world or in your personal life, you have peace with God through the forgiveness of your sins. This means that God is at peace with you. And it means that you can be at peace with yourself and at peace with others.

You have the peace of knowing that there is an eternal peace in heaven, and it is yours. Yes, there is peace even in the middle of war. Jesus is that peace. He is your peace.

Prayer:
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Take away the burden of our sins and make us ready for the celebration of your birth, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always. Shepherd your flock in Syria, those Christians who face uncertainty under a new government. Protect them. Be their peace as you promise. And shepherd your flock, we who by faith await your second coming, and be our peace.

O Lord, we ask that as our U.S. Space Force celebrates its fifth birthday today on December 20th, we ask that you be with those who protect us from the growing threat of near-peer competitors who seek to threaten our commerce, our financial and economic stability, and disrupt our infrastructure. Continue to raise up men and women who are wise and knowledgeable in this vocation so that we might live in peace. In your saving name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Military Devotion – Peace in the Middle of War – December 20, 2024