Often we tend to fear what we do not understand—especially when we encounter people who are different from us. The same was true in ancient Israel. Isaiah proclaimed that God’s chosen servant would bring God’s blessings to people of all nations. But for the people of Israel, who had been enslaved by Egypt and overrun by Assyria and Babylon, the idea of the nations coming to them carried some fear and trembling.

Yet God reassured Israel that his redemptive work across the world would lead to a different relationship between his people and those of other nations. Instead of war and violence, the nations would come seeking the light of God’s presence. Instead of demanding tribute, the nations would bring their wealth in service to God. Instead of responding in fear, God’s people would rejoice at the sight of the nations coming into God’s light.

As we remember Jesus’ birth, we are still waiting for this promised future. Nations are still at war. Racism, classism, and all sorts of other -isms feed our fears about people who are different from us, including within the church. So we add our voices to the prayers of God’s people throughout the centuries: that in Jesus Christ, God will bring about this promised day of peace that we cannot yet imagine.