God's View of Peace

Some kind person left a response on a previous blog that really touched my heart.
A little after writing the blog originally it seemed I was targeted by more than one experience to 'doubt' 'who God sees' me as. The comment I received reminded me once again who God sees me as - His beloved daughter.

Our son will be leaving for the army next week. My 'mother heart' has very mixed emotions. One thing I am very glad about, though. Our son made a decision. 'Indecision' can kill. Another blessing to me was being reminded that God was not caught off guard and now that a decision has been made I believe God will continue to perform miracles of love in all of our hearts.

A little over a week ago I was sharing with a friend about God's 'love covenant' He had spoken from Mt Sinai with the nation of Israel (and recorded in Exodus 20). The very first words reveal the identity of the speaker. God said "I am your God". He 'backed this up' by reminding them He was the One who had "brought you out" from Satan's domain (Egypt in the Bible is also a symbol of Satan's form of government) where 'fear, 'force and false (fake) is the 'rule'. God had also removed them from the "house of bondage" - slavery being a basic concept of Satan's counterfeit form of government. God's statement to Israel was a declaration of freedom. God spoke from Mt. Sinai to Israel who was already FREE! because of His deliverance. (The same is also true of me. God has declared that I am already free in Him. Praise Him. )

After the 'freedom declaration' God described some of the key aspects of His form of government of liberty based on other-centered love. Because God had set Israel free they no longer had any other 'gods' in place of the Creator. Because of God's freedom given to them they were no longer enslaved building images and temples representing counterfeits. (and then, as I was about to share the third description of God's freedom based government with my friend, I was overwhelmed with a new understanding of the 'third' description which appeared so awesomely wonderful in my mind that I was not able to even able to speak for a few moments. I pray I can convey it here)
Because God had already brought Israel 'out' from Satan's tyrannical despotism and into a love based freedom, now as they agreed with God, their very words would no longer be empty (vain). God's word is POWER! [Remember creation week!] So long as we are united to Him by accepting His will in our lives, the words we speak in agreement with God will go with His power. AWESOME! God is entrusting us - as we choose Him and accept His covenant of freedom -with Him, His word, His power. What love, What love!
The first three 'statements' of God describe the covenant relationship between Him (the greater being) and those whom He sets free - (lesser beings).

The next words God spoke described the 'sign' of this love covenant between God and humans. As a person (1) accepts God as supreme; that there is (2) no other God (not even any item representing a counterfeit god) in their life and that they are (3) no longer 'vain' (empty) but have become God's channel - in word and deed - of His love power flowing from God through them back to God as well as on to others, then to that person God gives an 'outside' sign that they are indeed accepted as a recipient of the freedom covenant with Him.

God chose as His special sign a day. He said "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy (Properly, whole, entire). Six days you will do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath (time of rest) of the Lord Your God" When a person accepts God's covenant of freedom they will experience the 'rest', 'blessing' and 'unity' with God that He gave on the first Sabbath of creation week. [Otherwise 'keeping the Sabbath' becomes more like a list of 'do this' and 'don't do' at best, or something like that type of activity.] Others who are not in God's covenant may profit a little by some of the benefits, like 'not working' at least one day a week, more family time, or whatever, but they can't comprehend the 'delight' God has in store for those who are in His covenant.

But there is another part of God's covenant, and God's next words describe that second part. God not only created human beings to love Him supreme, He also gave human beings the ability to 'be fruitful and multiply'. On the sixth day of creation He created His crowning act when He made man - male and female. He then united that first couple in what we call 'marriage'. As the seventh day of creation week began and God declared that everything was VERY GOOD, the whole universe erupted in a grand hallelujah chorus as the 'stars of heaven sang' and the 'sons of God shouted for joy'. That must have been some fantastic celebration! And God intended it to be just that. For both the seventh-day Sabbath and God's plan for family were to be the 'outside signs' of loyalty to God's form of government.

At Mt. Sinai, God reiterated the second 'outside' sign that a person was in God's covenant of freedom. Those who have accepted God's covenant would also receive God's form of government as He had established in the beginning of this world. From Mt. Sinai He 'reviewed' that form of government when He said: "Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long. . . " When someone asked Jesus about it later, He said "Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and Love your neighbor as yourself." These two parts of the covenant are symbolized by Sabbath (the sign of loving God supreme) - and God's plan for Family (Honoring father and mother the way God planned is the 'outside' sign that we love others as we love ourselves)

God made humans to have relationships one with another. After Adam and Eve chose another will and became captives in Satan's counterfeit government, people pretty much lost a true concept of God's original plan. At Mt Sinai God not only reminded them of their newfound freedom but also reestablished, on a nation wide basis - and in reality for anyone who accepts God's covenant - His original plan as given in Eden both concerning the seventh-day Sabbath and His original plan for a family form of government.

The next five freedom declarations God made on Mt. Sinai describe how God sets a person free through 'other-centered love' towards others. Put simply, God said: Because I have already set you free and you are returning my love back to me as your supreme God, that love will also flow out to others. The evidence of loving others as yourself will be seen in that I am empowering you with my love so you will (6) no longer kill others (spiritually, mentally or physically); you will (7) no longer pervert relationships between you and others (My plan for family is that each family have only one father and one mother); (8)You will no longer take what belongs to others; you will (9) not speak any untruth against someone else and you will (10) no longer covet what others have.

What an awesome law of liberty God gave - first in Eden, later from Mt. Sinai and in then in numerous other places in His written word. And for all who choose to accept God's covenant in their lives, God's power is more than enough for them to also experience God's true freedom.

So how does God view Peace? I believe that the words He spoke from Mt. Sinai answers that question. The God of peace is doing all in His power to restore us into His love, His peace, through His covenant of Peace.

What an awesome God! He loved me even before I knew Him. He loves me now even during times when I have misunderstood who He is and what He is really like. And I also believe that as I am learning who He really is and how much He really loves me and I am accepting His love in my life there is a big celebration up in heaven. I have been told that God Himself joys over me with singing. WOW! Not only do the angels sing but so does God.

Father in heaven, thank You so much for Your love and for Your covenant of Peace. I accept it anew. I love you.

Bringer of Peace