Tuesday in God's word

Isaiah 33: 20-22

Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem,
a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved;
its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken.
There the Lord will be our Mighty One.
It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.
No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them.
For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.

Many U.S. cities are facing bankruptcy today.  Usually, the cities made risky investments in order to gain larger returns.  When the financial system was in peril in 2008, their plan begin to unravel, causing those cities to respond by cutting spending and raising taxes.  Several years later, they are unable to pay their bills.

In Old Testament times, God’s chosen people, the Israelites sometimes thrived and sometimes faltered.  This was directly caused by their adherence to God’s law, or lack thereof.  He carefully and completely laid out His law, He ruled over them, and He judged them harshly when they turned their back.

How does this work for Christians today? We live under God’s law, but today, for the believer in Jesus Christ, it’s the law of love, for all the Old Testament law is wrapped up in the following:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.  God does judge us today, but thankfully he judges us based on the righteousness we have received from Jesus Christ, and that is perfect righteousness.  God does rule over us, but with Christ, if we follow Him, we serve under His hand of kindness.

So, in our homes, if Christ is at the center, we will have peace.  If we follow His precepts, we will have peace.  If we put Him first, we will have peace.  Otherwise, we may not.  Pray today that the Lord your God will be your Peace.

Have a great week.  Bill