Advent Week 2: Peace Stronger Than the Darkest Night

When Isaiah spoke of the Messiah to come, he gave him a name we still cling to:

“And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6–7).

That wasn’t just a promise for the past. It’s a truth for today. Jesus is still the Prince of Peace.

And his peace is not fragile. It is not the shallow calm that disappears when storms rise. His peace is strong enough to quiet anxious hearts and bold enough to confront the powers of this world. It is peace stronger than the darkest night.

A few weeks ago, on the night before troops were supposedly going to be deployed to San Francisco, I found myself sitting on the steps of Grace Cathedral. The city below was restless and heavy with fear. From that hilltop, I could see lights flickering across the skyline, each window representing a story, a family, a prayer.

I sat there and wept. Not just for our neighborhood, but for every person in our city holding their breath, wondering what tomorrow would bring. As I sat on those cold stone steps, a security guard walked over and gently asked if I was okay. Through tears I said, “I’m just trying to find peace in the midst of all this chaos.”

He paused for a moment, and with quiet compassion replied, “There sure is a lot of chaos right now. I really hope you find your peace.”

That simple kindness—human, tender, unexpected—felt like the voice of God breaking through the night.

The next day, we learned the troops would not be deployed. Thanks be to God. I don’t pretend to know all the reasons why, but I do believe this: the prayers of families across our city, whispered in fear and faith, were heard by the God who listens and protects.

Because that’s who the Prince of Peace is. He doesn’t wait for the chaos to settle before showing up. He comes right into it. He meets us in our tears, in our fear, and in the middle of unrest.

Night is when fear creeps in. Night is when loneliness feels sharpest, when uncertainty grows loud, when shadows seem overwhelming. But the peace of Jesus holds steady even there. His peace is not intimidated by darkness. It anchors us when everything else shakes, reminding us that the Prince of Peace still reigns.

We need that kind of peace now more than ever. Our world aches with conflict, violence, and division. In the Tenderloin, we see how chaos and injustice tear at the lives of women, girls, and families. And yet, even there, we see the Prince of Peace breaking through in quiet moments of prayer that bring calm to a weary soul, in the unity of families worshiping together, in youth who lay down the weight of fear and step into God’s embrace.

The world will always offer counterfeit peace, a peace that depends on control, power, or escape. But Advent reminds us of a different reality: the Prince of Peace has come, and his peace has no end. It is still holding, still breaking in, still overcoming the night.

Thoughts for this week:
Where do you need to experience the peace of Jesus that is stronger than the night?
How might his peace shake the powers at work in your own heart or in the world around you?