Isaiah 32:17 NIV
Straightaway, when the words peace, quietness, confidence and fruit are read, one might consider the fruits of the spirit. For a refresher, from Galatians 5, the Spiritual fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control; these listed spiritual fruits do expand on the fruit of righteousness: peace, quietness and confidence.
Being assured of where your eternal home is brings you a peace, quietness and confidence that is palpable in the most stressful, conflict ridden and other difficult situations. That confidence, peace, comfort, and quietness is what David must have felt when he wrote the 23rd Psalm as he was fleeing Saul.
Righteousness, the concise dictionary defines as: adhering to moral principles. We can be thankful that in this fractured and fallen world, we are not made righteous by our own effort to follow moral principles; but rather made righteous by what Jesus did on the cross and through His resurrection. We see many messages in this world about what we should do, buy, join, or achieve to be "better." Is it not comforting to know that Jesus did it all for us to make us righteous by grace through faith, apart from works, so that we are acceptable to God.
The lyrics:
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus;
Look full in his wonderful face;
And the things of the world will grow strangely dim;
In the light of his glory and grace.
The prophet Isaiah does point ahead to Christ many times in God's prophecy, look for the pointing to Christ as you read.
What kind of activities do people pursue in the quest for rest, quietness, peace, and confidence?
Where do you find your fruit of eternal rest, peace and confidence?
Pray for the peace of the Lord, which passes all human understanding to guard your hearts in Christ Jesus.
In Christ,
David P
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