Day 1

Katherine Neil (12^th Grade)

Eternity is a long time—no beginning, no end—it’s impossible for our flesh to fully comprehend.

As junior high/high school students, we think in timelines; constantly thinking in beginnings, ends, and every thing in between. We know our last day of high school; our first day of college. We know the last time we stepped on our beloved high school football field to sing the alma mater. We know when we realized our best friends were keepers. We know.

There is an earthly assurance in “knowing”. When we know “things”, we have a false control. Too often, we attempt to limit our Jesus as we focus on a single grain of sand of our understanding, in which we “have control”, rather than trusting in the unknown of our good, good Father who is able to count each grain of sand, and who’s plan for us is vaster than the beaches.

Isaiah, one of God’s chosen messengers, walked for Jesus in a time in which God’s chosen people (the Israelites) had turned their backs to God. The Israelites no longer trusted in God and His promises. In Isaiah 9:6-7, a message of hope is given in full. Verse 6 says:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

700-800 years before our precious Jesus lay in manger, long, long before God sent us the most perfect gift sent as a baby, God’s plan was already being shared.

A Wonderful Counselor was to be sent for sinners, to bring wisdom in His perfection. A Mighty God was coming to give grace to the graceless. An Everlasting Father was coming to bridge the gap between God and His loved children. A Prince of Peace was coming to bring rest to the restless. Although this message was only brought 700/800 years before Jesus was born, God’s plan for the Israelites (just like His plan for each of us) was in place since the beginning of time.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

The character of Jesus revealed in this passage of Scripture remains stable and the same today, and into eternity. Our God is never changing; His plan is so much greater than that of our own. We can find such sweet hope in Him. Although we can’t grasp time, and how glorious God’s plan is for us, we must remember that the Jesus who brought hope to people back then, is the same Jesus who died on a cross and rose again, and the same Jesus who lives in our hearts. God’s power is in no way weakened today in comparison to the power of Jesus in this Scripture. Today we still have a Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, a Prince of Peace.

We must let go of our own timelines, and allow our perfect God to take control of our life—as scary as that may seem. We know who our God is; who our Jesus is. We know He is eternal; that He has a unique and beautiful plan for each of us. That He is good.

Let’s trust Him today.