Isaiah 11:1-10

“The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,   the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” vs 2

Isaiah prayed that one day the spirit of the Lord would rest on a shoot from the house of Jesse, and that through this descendent of David, a peaceable kingdom would be established on earth. That prayer found fulfillment in the person of Jesus, and now we regularly use those same words as the baptized are blessed in the rite of confirmation. It’s a solemn and beautiful moment, a time to recognize that the hopes and dreams of the ages are now resting on a new generation. On the one hand it seems an audacious claim. How can we possibly believe that these young men and women, most of them teenagers, can make the kingdom of peace a reality? Yet that’s what we continue to believe! This army of baptized believers is changing the world, and it’s happening now. Bit by bit, one  person at a time, by the power of the Holy Spirit, this world is experiencing healing and peace. Some days it may seem only a dream–we’re constantly being made aware of the brokenness in our lives.  But then comes the day when we come face to face with unconditional love and sacrificial service, and we know beyond a doubt that we’ve been touched by the kingdom of peace.

Thought for the Day: What is life like in the kingdom of peace?