Perfect Peace
Can you have peace in this life? What are God's promises as I journey on?
“Yahweh appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt...Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you...I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring...because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws...Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him. Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you"
Genesis 26:2-5, 12, 24
God's original covenant is one of blessing. God confronts two challenges that He knew Isaac would face that we all face. Comparison and fear. God says don't compare yourself to Egypt or the idea that the grass is greener elsewhere. God says do not be afraid because He knows the fears that Isaac must be feeling.
God makes the same promises to us that He made to Isaac. He promises to be with us and bless us. How do we draw closer to these promises? Listen to His voice, do what we know to do (obey) and do the work we have in front of us. Isaac worked the land and God multiplied the harvest.
“I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering. Examine me, Yahweh, and prove me. Try my heart and my mind. For your loving kindness is before my eyes. I have walked in your truth...Redeem me, and be merciful to me.”
Psalms 26:1-4, 7, 11
The word integrity comes up many times in the Bible and is a great word to describe how God wants us to feel. Integrity means wholeness, completeness, with balance and lacking nothing. Jesus guides us to integrity through grace and truth. Grace for our humanity and truth for our eternal calling. How do you feel? Are you feeling whole and walking in integrity or do you need redemption for the areas of brokenness you feel?
“For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down. Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.”
Proverbs 26:20, 27
Life has a funny way of coming full circle. People who live to please the flesh get what they desire and all the consequences that come with it. Wisdom invites us to walk intentionally and avoid the common traps of culture. Where do I need to let go of patterns that are not producing positive fruit in my life?
“Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith. You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you...with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly seek you...Yahweh, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us.”
Isaiah 26:2-3, 8-9, 12
You can have peace at all times. Jesus is the prince of peace and if we choose to fix our minds on Him then we can hold on to His peace. The hard part is learning to trust. Growing in trust. Trust says God I am going to seek your will ahead of my own and I believe that you will fulfill your promises to be with me and bless me.
“He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins...Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak...Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword. Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death, and they found none... Jesus said...I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.””
Matthew 26:6-7, 10-13, 27-28, 38-39, 41, 49-50, 52, 59-60, 64
Jesus made a new covenant. One that sets us free from the past and empowers us in the present moment to walk according to the spirit rather than the flesh. We can walk with integrity as He fills in the areas of our heart that need healing. Jesus says if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. He chose the cross for us so that we would no longer be bound by the path of sin that leads to separation from the God who wants to make us whole.
Take a minute today to stop and breathe out the anxiety that comes from life patterns designed by the world. Breathe out comparison. Breathe out fear. Breathe in the promise of God's presence and perfect peace as you fix your mind on Him.