THE PEACE OF GOD FROM THE GOD OF PEACE

THE PEACE OF GOD FROM THE GOD OF PEACE

Philippians 4:4-9

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

When we recognize that God is near –

When we trust him in our anxieties –

When we lay our hearts out before him in prayer –

When we let our requests be known to God –

When we thank him –

THEN God gives peace beyond all understanding. That peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

When we work at thinking on excellent virtues –

When we think of virtues worthy of praise –

When we imitate the lives of godly people –

THEN the God of peace will be with us.

The God of peace gives the peace of God. Yet, God requires us to train our hearts and minds to focus on and trust in him. The analogy of a coin with two sides helps us with this conundrum. God promises to give us the all-surpassing peace that guards our hearts and minds. At the same time, he commands that we rejoice always, that we give our anxieties to him in prayer, and that we thank him. God promises to be with us when we think on and practice holy virtues.

We don’t necessarily understand how this mystery of God’s promises and his commands come together, each independent of the other, but so uniquely linked as to work together. Yet we can have the peace of God that the God of peace gives.

In the chaos of our lives, let us bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. Let us meditate on the holy virtues outlined in these verses. Then we can rest in God’s peace.

Jesus gives us these words in John 14:27:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

THE STEADFAST LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS OF THE LORD

THE STEADFAST LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS OF THE LORD

What do we know about God? What comes to mind when we think of God and who he is? So many things, so many characteristics, so many actions. Yet two characteristics of God that continually come to my mind are his steadfast love and his faithfulness.  A few translations of the Bible use steadfast love where other translations use the following words: mercy, lovingkindness, faithful love, grace, promise, or loyal love. Most translations of the Bible use the word faithfulness but a few translations use these words: loyalty, truth, trust, goodness and truth. While these other translations express beautiful facets of the diamond of God’s character, I appreciate the words steadfast love and faithfulness. We find the thread of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness woven throughout the Bible. His steadfast love and his faithfulness go together, hand in hand.

           

What does steadfast mean? Steadfast refers to “unwavering, firm, or directed”. What does real love mean? Love seeks the highest good of another person. God unwaveringly and firmly directs his love toward his people for their good and his glory.

What does faithfulness mean when attributed to God? Faithfulness refers to being true to one’s word or promises. God is the only one who completely and perfectly keeps his promises. None of his promises or words have ever failed. God’s character is true; therefore, he is completely faithful.

His steadfast love and faithfulness define him and his purpose for his own people. When Moses asked God to show him his glory, “The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation’” (Exodus 34:5-7). When the prophet Jeremiah lamented that God seemed to have afflicted and forsaken him, he responded with “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23). We see both God’s steadfast love and faithfulness in these verses that describe who God is.

When I remind myself of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, I have hope. No matter what challenges I face in life, I remember his steadfast love and faithfulness. I can trust God because of who he is and what he does. Who else commits unwavering love to his own? Who else has completely and perfectly kept his promises? God abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness.

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.  – Psalm 100:5

Beautiful Air

Everyone talks about Beijing's awful air quality, but this was the view out our bedroom window this morning. The first picture doesn't capture the clear blue skies nor the spire between the buildings, much the the visible detail on the spire. AQI=21