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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Living in Peace

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)


What a beautiful promise. And this even in the midst of Jeremiah's prophesy against those in Israel who had turned from God. God has always looked after those who trust in Him. Now this isn't a promise of fair weather at all times. Even here we see the tree goes through both heat and drought. What is promised is that there is no need to fear, because God will get us through. He is our source, the place we need to plant our roots. To build our foundation.




"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 'Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:25-34)


Christ tells us not to worry about what may come, or whether or not we will have even the basic necessities of life. He tells us that God will provide these things for us. What we really need to seek after is the kingdom of God and his righteousness. We can live in peace because God will supply for those who trust in Him. God is the same now as in the days of Jeremiah, when we seek the kingdom of God, we find all we could ever need. He gives us the strength to endure the heat and drought.


It is fine to say we need to search for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, but we need to search in the right place. For success we must know where to look.


"Everyone who then hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:24-27)


Christ is our source. He is where we find the peace, comfort and joy that lasts no matter what circumstances we may find ourselves in. When we turn to Christ we turn to our Father. When we trust Him it allows His Spirit to move in our lives. Our joy is unbridles and our peace unending. We just need to fix our eyes on Christ, and our Father will handle everything else.


"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound, in any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13)