Got Peace?

Great peace have those who love your law,
   and nothing can make them stumble.

Psalms 119:165

When you know you did the right thing, you know you're going to be all right. It's a bit like driving down the road and looking up in your rear-view mirror and see a Highway Patrol officer. Then, you look at your speedometer and you are going the speed limit not over it. You know your tags are paid up and everything is working and you used your turn signal when you turned...so you know you're OK. But, for us, as Christians, it's a bit more...

As Christians we are not talking legalism and following the Old Testament law or a newly crafted set of rules that are culturally relevant. Although that is what David was talking about when we apply this Scripture to our lives through the work of Christ on the cross, we see grace. The law of love, faith in action. Great peace is the fruit of knowing that we act in faith, seeking to loves those around us. This doesn't mean everything will work out perfectly and every desire will be fulfilled exactly as we envision its' fulfillment. 

Jesus loves us. He gave himself for us.  He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. He sent the Spirit to indwell us, to guide us, to comfort us and to lead us into all truth. The Father is Sovereign over all things and has placed all things under Christ.  He is faithful in all things. As we seek to express our faith through love, which is the only thing that counts (Galatians 5:6), God works. We have peace because we know we are under grace and whatever happens is up to God. Peace happens when you live in grace by faith.

Your Hands Are Dirty, So What?

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean', but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean'.”

Matthew 15:10-11 NIV

Jesus has an amazing way of taking things straight to the heart of the matter. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were concerned about seeking God outwardly. They were focused on the disciples eating without washing their hands because that was a tradition of the elders. A tradition of the elders is not a commandment, it's a rule created by the religious leaders to try and keep people from breaking the commandments. 

Jesus then explained it further by saying, "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'" ( Matthew 15:18-20) So, we should be concerned with more about our hearts than our hands. (Yes, I do wash my hands before eating. Except when camping, working construction or otherwise away from soap and water.) 

I can wash my hands all I want and that will not keep me from sinning. The only thing that I know of that will wash my heart is the forgiveness of my sins by the death of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Give the Grace You Hope to Get

So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12

Sandwiched in between teachings on judging others, asking God who wants to give us good gifts, entering through the narrow gate and recognizing a tree by its fruit is the Golden Rule. 

In verse 11, Jesus stressed that we need to understand that our natural desire to give good gifts to our children is just a fraction of the love that God has for us and his desire to give us good things. Then, in verse 12, in the Golden Rule, Jesus teaches us to go beyond empathy and treat others how we want them to treat us. This he says is what the entire Law and the Prophets is trying to say. 

Just take a moment and apply the Golden Rule to a few things...

You forgot to do something.

You lost your patience.

You spoke too soon.

You misunderstood.

Again. 

Give the grace who hope to get.