Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…1 Corinthians 13:7-8.
There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. James 1:17 THE MESSAGE.
“The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD. Isaiah 65:25.
And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 186: Called a Nazarene – the Branch, Netzer. Isaiah 11:1: Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. And, Matthew 2:23: And came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
I love this today in Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: “Grow strong in the Light of My Presence. Your weakness does not repel Me. On the contrary, it attracts My Power, which is always available to flow into a yielded heart. Do not condemn yourself for your constant need of help. Instead, come to Me with your gaping neediness; let the Light of My Love fill you. A yielded heart does not whine or rebel when the going gets rough. It musters the courage to thank Me even during hard times. Yielding yourself to My will is ultimately an act of trust. In quietness and trust is your strength. Psalm 116:5-7; Ephesians 5:20; Isaiah 30:15.”
In our Zoom group watching The Chosen last night, Simon Peter was talking with Gaius, the Roman Primi, and at the end of their talk, he said to Gaius, “Shalom Shalom.” Gaius asked why say it twice? He told him it then means perfect peace, restoration. I looked it up this morning: “When someone says ‘shalom shalom’ (repeating the word twice), it is used as an emphatic or superlative expression in Hebrew – signifying “perfect peace,” complete well-being, or deep, unshakeable tranquility (such as in Isaiah 26:3 – The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.)” And isn’t that the difference Jesus brings into our own hearts? In this world of division and divisiveness, of too much of everything that pulls us away from thinking about Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, it is in putting our trust in God that brings us peace not of this chaotic world. Scripture tells us to pray always and I think that’s because then we are turned to God. Lately I’ve been praying for His peace in my heart and in the hearts of our family, friends, and in the hearts of all of us living today. His peace, His Shalom Shalom so needed in all of us. Shalom Shalom.
***SPEAK LORD – Father God in heaven, I pray that You would fill me with Your Holy Spirit as I read Your Word and bless me with wisdom, understanding, intelligence, and focus so that I would know You and make You known. Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening. Ally Boyd (Edinburgh, Scotland), personal prayer inspired by 1 Samuel 2, 2020.***
