You shall keep My sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the LORD.  If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. Lev 26:2-6.

When I was a kid my parents were really strict.  When we were young, we had chores and we got spankings if we misbehaved (and eye-rolling counted!). They limited TV time before it was fashionable to do so.  As we got older, my sister and I couldn’t go on dates till after most of our friends were allowed and all the boys had to meet my father, who was an intimidating Marine Corps officer (we were constantly mortified).  We couldn’t drive with friends in the car.  And I had the earliest curfew of anyone I knew.  What I wish I knew then was that these were all good things – instead they felt like prison and persecution (of course teenage girls are prone to just a little bit of drama).  Funny – I find that people tend to relate to God in the way they relate to their parents, until they know Him better.  That can be good or bad…and as a parent it raises the bar for me.  Will my children’s understanding of God’s love be shaped by the way I love them?  Yep.  Does my discipline of them influence their perception of God’s discipline?  You bet!  Harsh parents can cause children to see God as oppressive and permissive parents can raise children who seek God’s blessings but not His approval.  I could go on about parenting…and I did in another post you can read here.  I plan to add more about parenting later – God has taught me the most from my my own mistakes.

Anyway, when you read the passage above from Leviticus do you see the rules and statutes or the promises?  When you read the bible do you see the rules and statutes or the promises?  As with anything in life, it is good to have a balance of both.  God is a wonderful parent who wants to protect us, teach us and reward us.  He has certain expectations of us that we must meet too.  That is what makes a convenant – promises kept on both ends.  If we are wise, we will follow His ways, trusting Him to know best.  He made the World and all that is in it, including us.  He set up the laws of nature and spiritual laws too.  Following His ways protects us from adverse natural and spiritual consequences and puts us in right relationship with Him.  And because we are made to know God and be in fellowship with Him, there is no peace unless we choose God.  It’s all there in the bible.  So here is what I wrote about the verses Kay Arthur included:

Leviticus 26:2-6 (see the passage above) This lays out a spiritual law – living in a godly way will sow seeds of peace into your life.

Numbers 6:22-27 Invoke God’s name, call on Him and He will bless you.

Jeremiah 29:11 God has good plans for me!

Isaiah 48:18 Following God’s law will lead to peace and well-being.

Isaiah 26:3 When we fill our minds with God, there is no room for turmoil, doubt, anger or fear.

Psalms 119:165 If our heart’s desire is to obey God, we will have peace and will be able to obey HIm and please Him.

Philippians 4:4-7 Be glad and have a peaceful spirit because the Lord is with you.  Pray and be thankful. Trust in the Lord and he will protect your heart and mind and give you peace.

Philippians 4:8-9 Choose good thoughts!! Choose God and peace will follow.

So often we are are seeking peace and cannot find it.  Pain is inevitable in this world and we inflict more of it on ourselves than we know.  Instead of seeking peace, seek God.  He IS the Lord of Peace (Jehovah-shalom) and has already given it to us:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27