Find Peace in the LORD, Not Man

Aren’t we all looking for peace. I know that I am and will look any and everywhere. I am in a constant search for the safety and comfort to just be. What I have found to this point is that I am not going to find it in man. I am not going to be able to dwell in a place where man is “leading” the way. I say “leading” in quotes, because I do know that man is really not leading the way in anything. It is either God or the evil one leading the way. When man is “leading” there is selfish actions and work being done and I how can I follow the actions of someone who is out for themselves and not for others.

“²O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?

How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?”

— Psalm 4:2 (ESV)

David could see the selfishness in man as noted above. The lies and honor were in themselves and not in the LORD. As we place our trust and actions in man, we will be betrayed and will find ourselves in a place that is seemingly worse than where we started.

On the other side of things, when we are trusting of the LORD to provide, we are able to find peace and safety and actions that are in our best interest as we do the work and take action that He leads us in.

“⁸In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

— Psalm 4:8 (ESV)

I see here in the words of David that peace comes when dwelling in the LORD. He was able to sleep well at night knowing that the work of the LORD was delivering Him. It was not the work of man, for as noted above, man would lie and would certainly not honor others.

Over the past few months I have had financial well being for Lori and me on my prayer list. I want to be clear in that I am not asking for riches, only that the LORD provide what we need. I have been at peace, knowing that the LORD will provide financially for us. Well, Lori had a medical procedure a bit ago and we have been awaiting final billing to make sure that we are not being overcharged. As usual with these things, there have been several rounds come through. It is only now that we feel the final bill has been presented to us. Here is where the peace of the dwelling in the LORD played out. Lori received a note from someone that we should proactively check on unclaimed property with the state. Wouldn’t you know it, there was some there that matched to the amount of the bill we had been presented. The LORD provided peace and resolution where man was reluctant as played out with the multiple rounds of billing.

It is in the LORD that we will find our peace and not in man. Yes, man may offer up some resolution, but will that resolution be in the best interest of you, maybe or maybe not. However, when we place our trust in the LORD, we can know that He will provide for our well being in the interest of peace and safety.

Where are you placing your trust? Are you relying on man to provide? What if you were to instead place your trust in the LORD knowing that He is looking out for you and your peace and safety?

The LORD is Always Protecting You

It may seem hard to understand in the moment, but the LORD is truly always protecting you. This morning I am again in Genesis and am reading the passage of God protecting Hagar and Ishmael. If you remember the story a bit, Hagar was the slave of Sarai who gave birth to Ishmael to Abram. Hagar was shunned by Sarai and even in this, the LORD cared for Hagar and Ishmael through Abram. Fast forward to the birth off Isaac to Abraham and Sarah. Sarah again looks upon Hagar with disdain as she is irked that Ishmael and Isaac are now of the same lineage and by extension are heirs together.

Here is where God’s continued protection comes at a time when we may not understand. You see, God approved of and advised Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away into the wilderness. The two of them were sent out with some bread and water.

“¹²But God said to Abraham, ‘Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’” “¹⁴So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.” – Genesis 21:12 & 14 (ESV)

Things were looking bleak for Hagar and Ishmael at this time. And of course the water and the bread ran out and Hagar basically gave up. But God.

“¹⁹Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. ²⁰And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. ²¹He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.” – Genesis 21:19-21 (ESV)

The circumstances were dire and the LORD stepped in to protect. Although, when we look at the story God was always protecting, even as Hagar and Ishmael were cast out from Abraham. Hagar just did not know it at the time as I am sure that she was devastated as she departed.

The LORD knows what we need and will provide and protect us in our time of need. We are to obey Him with the understanding that He is protecting us, even when we may not see it or understand all of the reasons or timing.

What is your view of protection from God? Are you of the thoughts that all of His actions of protection should be overt and plain for us to see? What if we approached God with understanding that no matter the circumstance, He is always there protecting us?

The Way of the Righteous

Just what is the way of the righteous?

“⁵Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.”

— Psalm 37:5 (ESV)

And there you have it. The way of the righteous is to commit to the Lord and to trust Him.

As a christian, the way of the righteous is the way that I should be going. I have to strive to be righteous in hopes that I will measure up when the time comes for me in the presence of God and the judgment. I am to be committed to the LORD and trust that He leads me in the path He would have me go. I have to remember and understand that it is His will, not mine that takes we there.

“⁶for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.”

— Psalm 1:6 (ESV)

There are different paths to take in this world, and where they seem to lead to the good, it is not the way of the righteous. There is the path of positivism. There is the path of empowerment. There is the path of being good. Each of these can seem to get thing done and move you in the right direction. But, they will fade if they are not rooted in the LORD. Each of these when they come from us are simply not enough to overcome.

Now, I am not saying that it is not worth it to be positive, empowered, and good. It is certainly part of the will of God to be so. The thing that I have found in my study of God’s Word is that these are products of committing to the way of the Lord. These in and of themselves do not get us to the way of the Lord. These come from the way of the Lord. We cannot force ourselves into being righteous. I will also say that where we cannot force it, it is not a bad place to start.

When we are positive, empowered, and good we will see some results for sure. We will certainly move forward and things will fall in place for us. The thing is that it will not always fall into place and without being rooting in God, there will be limited if any staying power. As soon as things take a turn away from the direction you want them to go, there will be failure that is difficult to overcome.

The way of the Lord is full of staying power. I may get down when things do not go my way, but when I know that I can count on the goodness of God, I am able to keep going as everything is in His plan. I may not reach my destination when I wanted to, but the LORD knows that has I done so, I may have missed another opportunity that would make the destination just that much sweeter. I may experience loss as a result of life, yet I would be able to see the good that is because of it.

“The LORD knows the way of the righteous” and where I am not sure if I measure up, I have to continue to commit my “way to the Lord”. I am committing to leading a life with Him as my example. I am committing to the path He has for me. I am committing to all that comes. I have to remember that Jesus did not have it easy. He was persecuted way beyond anything any of us will experience. He worked daily to bring God’s Word to all even as He was spit on, beaten, and even killed. I may not be killed, but the way of the LORD will not be easy, yet it is worth it.

What way are you going? Are you taking the positive, empowered, and/or good way? What if you took the way of the LORD and allowed Him to provide the results?

God’s Mercy Allows for Trust

“²⁵Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.” — 1 Corinthians 7:25 (ESV)

I have continue to indicate in my writings and in all that pertains to my study of God’s Word and its impact on me that I am not an expert. I have not been to seminary and am only a sinner working through this world working to live out my kingdom purpose. The above verse from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians lets me know that I am indeed headed in the right direction. God’s mercy allows for my words and actions to be trusted. I know, how can I be trusted. Well, let me try and explain my thoughts on it.

As a follower of Christ I have dedicated my life to doing that which is pleasing to Him. I am tasked with spreading the gospel and ensuring that all who I come in contact with have the opportunity to receive and experience the salvation that He offers. As I have dedicated to the LORD, I have been forgiven of those area where I fail. The sins I have committed have been forgive as have those sins that I will commit. My actions to bring the gospel to everyone require that I provide mercy to all as all are in need of mercy. As noted in the beatitudes by Jesus in His sermon on the mount;

“⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” — Matthew 5:7 (ESV)

Thanks to the LORD, I have received mercy and I will continue to do His will in my life. As the LORD can be trusted, so can I as I have been trained up and sent out to do His work.

“¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

Paul was sent out by God to do His work and was counted as trustworthy in God’s Word. He was understood to love all and only want was in the best interest of all as pertains to the gospel and the mercy of the LORD. The Lord’s mercy provided to Paul allowed for Him to be trusted with the gospel and ensuring that God’s Word was indeed spread as far as he could reach. So it is for me. I, thanks to the Lord’s mercy, can be trusted with and to spread the gospel as far as I can reach. God’s mercy allows for trust.

What is it that allows for you to be trusted? Are you looking to worldly knowledge and authority? What if you were to simply use the mercy provided by God to spread the gospel and His Word to reach all in your path?