Series: Flowers in the Desert
Romans 5:1-2 ESV
Romans 3:23 ESV
Jeremiah 17:5-6 ESV
Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV
*Romans 5:3-5 ESV
Peace is a really wonderful feeling that can cure many ailments.
According to The Mayo Clinic, “Relaxation isn't only about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. It's a process that lessens the stress effects on your mind and body. Using ways to relax can help you cope with everyday stress. And these options can help with long-term stress or stress related to many health problems, such as heart disease and pain.”
(https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/relaxation-technique/art-20045368#:~:text=Relaxation isn't only about,as heart disease and pain.)
Peace of mind and body changes our whole attitude about life, however it isn’t instant. As we used to say…it isn’t fizzies.
Paul wrote in Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Upon first reflection we might be tempted to think okay, so we are justified because we believe and then we have peace.
But, what exactly does it mean to be justified?
Years ago someone once told me it referred to sin and when we are justified it means it’s just as if I’d never done “it” (meaning sin).
That’s the idea, but it sells it a little short…here’s the reason why. According to Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
When we take God’s glory into account, we are reminded we are not God. We are not equal with God.
We do make mistakes. We don’t mean to make mistakes, but we are human.
God knows we are human.
But as with all of life, the process is part of life.
Let’s say a believer who is in relationship with God/Jesus makes a mistake that misses the mark on what God would have them do.
When a believer misses the mark, the Spirit shows up to help us deal with our mistake. We feel bad that we messed up. The Spirit doesn’t make us feel bad though. Instead the Spirit shows up because when we feel bad it’s hard for us to face God. The Spirit shows up to help us let go of our human feeling of guilt because the Spirit loves us and in a sense, is missing us.
Think of it this way…a small child breaks a treasured statue that they were not supposed to touch. When that happens, they run off because they feel bad and they don’t want to face their parent. The parent notices the child is gone and they miss the child so they go looking for the child. When the parent shows up (most of the time) the child confesses they broke the statue. Even though the parent may be sad about the statue, they love the child and want to reconcile their relationship. The child says “sorry” and they reconcile.
That’s how God is with us. God always loves us and seeks reconciliation. According to Romans 5:1 we are justified by faith through God’s love.
We are made right with God through faith that God gives us when we turn to God. God woos us to come because God wants to continuously be in relationship through His love.
WE do not do the work.
WE are not that powerful.
Jeremiah 17:5-6 says, “Thus says the Lord:“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.
He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come.He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.”
Cursed is the man who trusts in his own strength and thinks he can do anything on his own without God.
God is THE God and we are not God. But, there are times when men (wo-men) want to take charge and run ‘the show’ without God’s help,
So, what’s the deal with the desert shrub Jeremiah wrote about?
The shrub referred to in the desert is the arara shrub that can be found in the Judean wilderness. On the outside it looks like a luscious piece of fruit, but on the inside it’s very dry and the fruit is poisonous. The implication is that on the outside the fruit of the shrub looks fine like men (wo-men). They may appear to be trustworthy, caring, and love God. But, on the inside they may not be trustworthy and caring. Man (wo-man) needs God and they need to realize they need God.
In Jeremiah 17:7-8 he goes on to say,
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream,and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green,and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
When we turn to God, with God’s help we bear fruit.
That’s why Paul’s conclusion in Romans 5:3-5 was so spot on!
He wrote, “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
When we suffer with God by our side, we endure and that builds character which gives us hope through God’s love that the Spirit freely gives.
The bottom line is that we need to stop kidding ourselves. We cannot succeed (do life) without God.
Furthermore, God doesn’t expect or want us to do life without Him. God wants to be in relationship WITH. God wants us to receive real peace of God.
That’s what life is about!
Spiritual Practice: Turn to God
Practice today turning to God (throughout the day) recognizing God IN you. Receive God’s peace throughout the day.
In God, Deborah