Karissa- Karissa
When Steadfast Love and Faithfulness Meet {Psalm 85:10-11}
Beautiful is the life that walks closely with God. Full is the life that strives for obedience to Him.
This is where steadfast love and faithfulness meet: God's never ending love inspiring our faithfulness, and us trusting in His never ending love.
This is when righteousness and peace kiss each other: Our righteousness founded in Christ, through God's steadfast love, inspiring us to walk with Him and follow along in obedience. And this obedience and seeking after "the higher things" bringing overwhelming peace.
Righteousness and peace kiss each other.
It is hard to obey. It is difficult to take every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor 10:5), to forgive, to love your neighbor. But we would do well to remember it is not in vain: it is never in vain.
Our good good Father asks us to obey Him for our good, and the good of others. We cannot love Him fully without obedience and walking in righteousness. We cannot have abundant life while we choose death (Deut 30:15). And we cannot walk in peace without Christ our redeemer.
Righteousness and peace kiss each other.
How beautiful to think of righteousness looking down from the sky, shining on the growth of faithfulness springing up from the ground.
The sun-shining rays of God's steadfast, never ending love growing our faith as we reach up, up, up toward Him. The righteousness of Christ always growing us nearer to Him, farther from the dirt.
Faith is not a futile fight. Righteousness is not just fighting against our flesh, fleeing the enemy, and failing again and again as we try harder and harder. When we focus on righteousness without realizing it "kisses peace", and comes from growing faith in Christ's righteousness for us, then we are stuck in the perpetual shame cycle of works. Faith without works is dead, but works without faith is death.
Have faith in God's steadfast love for you. It never ends, and never wavers. It meets you more than halfway, but it never forces it's way in. His steadfast love will meet your faithfulness. The righteousness of CHRIST that makes you righteous through your simple faith will bring you peace. And just as in the way the warmth of the sun grows the flowers in God's creation, the warmth of the Father, the Spirit, and the Son will grow your faithfulness. As sure as the flowers will bloom in spring. As sure as steadfast love.
