The anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in Him. 1 John 2:27 NRSV.

Can we inhabit the amazing truth of the love of Creator God – Father…Son…Spirit? Can we rest secure in His provision? We see a world at war and choosing the violence and power that has always been in those who do not trust and know God. When Jesus came they expected the mighty warrior who would destroy the rule of Rome. But listen to our chapter. Isaiah 42: Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My chosen One in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness He will bring forth justice; He will not falter or be discouraged till He establishes justice on earth. In His teaching the islands will put their hope. This is what God the Lord says – the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” v. 1-9.

Last night I saw an excerpt of a speech given by someone who does not understand the love of God. How can he? He is steeped in hate. He was fairly screaming how their daddy is furious and they need to be punished, and would say to his daughter that she is naughty and deserves a spanking. And he is only voicing what so many through time wish on others and never on themselves. But listen to our God! For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held Myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant. I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. v. 14-16. Are we among the blind? Will we tell God how things should be? Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one in covenant with Me, blind like the servant of the Lord? You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen. It pleased the Lord for the sake of His righteousness to make His law great and glorious. But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say,”Send them back.” v. 18-22. The Law of the Lord is His Love and how miserably we fail in accepting His Love to guide us that we may love Him and one another. Jesus came to show the way and still we do not listen. Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come? Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow His ways; they did not obey His law. So He poured out on them His burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart. v. 23-25.

How do we live joyously in a broken world? We trust God. We turn to Him for understanding. We have received His love and it is joyous and needed and important! We give up our control because we have none and once we realize that, our hearts can truly say, not our will, Lord God, but Yours!