We have yearned for a time of justice and peace for as long as we have existed. Often people have looked to some powerful figure who promises to provide these things, but with tragic results. Isaiah speaks of the same dream, but with a different emphasis: God will be the provider of peace and justice, but He will use human beings. Although King David was a very flawed person, he was the apple of God's eye. From His descendents, God would raise up One who would be a noble, wise, just, and powerful figure, and He would establish God's reign of peace and justice. It would also be a time of harmony between human beings and the created order: the beautiful symbol of the lion lying down with the lamb has inspired human hearts for centuries. But how is this possible? Will people ever be able to change their ways? It is possible, he insists, but only because people will have knowledge of God.

How does this knowledge of God come to us? God reveals Himself by entering hearts that are loving, humble, and willing to be taught. Being learned and clever does not give us a right to this knowledge of God, just as arrogance, pride, and selfishness lock God out of our hearts. The mark of a person who is filled with this presence of God is clear: he or she is loving, peaceful, just, and concerned for the needs of others. God's Kingdom has taken root in such a heart. Let us ask God to teach us something new about Him, even if it "shakes us up" a bit.