Last Wednesday night I had the privilege to teach Proverbs 3:1-2 on the Blessing of loving God’s Word.

1.My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments ;
2.For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you.

One of the blessings that is promised to us if we order our lives according to God’s Word is “Peace.”  The Word for Peace in Hebrew is Shalom.  It is quite an incredible word.  Shalom means “Completion and fulfillment – of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship” Isn’t that what we all long for in this life?  To be restored in our relationships with God and others and to find completion and fulfillment?  The ultimate way that God brought about “Shalom” was through the Cross of Jesus Christ.  It was on the Cross that Jesus made the way for us to be restored into a relationship with our heavenly father and to find the purpose we were made for… to Glorify God with our lives.  It was on the Cross that our sin was paid for and God’s wrath was satisfied!

There is a story in “The Pilgrims Progress” that is a beautiful word picture of this “Shalom”  In the story Pilgrim has left the city of Destruction and is going to the celestial city to find the king, but he is laden with a huge burden on his back that causes him great trouble.  Then He comes to the cross…

Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation. Isaiah 26:1. Up this way, therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.

He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a Tomb. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the Tomb, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.

Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, “He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death.”

Shalom is only found at the Cross.  If you are burdened by your sin and the weight of your guilt… you can find Shalom at the Cross.

1.Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
3. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
4. so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. flesh

Romans 8:1-4

Tuesday 8.4.09

A good God does not always mean for us a smooth road.

A good God does not always mean for us an easy path.

A good God does not always mean for us a short and painless journey.

Sometimes, a good God brings a dark cloud over us.

When this happens, the road will be rough.

The path will be hard.

And the journey will be long and painful.

But, when that dark cloud settles in, our good God does not abandon.

For, when the road is rough – He is there to encourage.

When the path is hard – He is there to strengthen.

And, when the journey grows long and painful – He is there to comfort.

When God moves the dark cloud over us,

It is never without His strong arm around us.

Exodus 15:2

Alive2Christ,

Kendall C.