COMPLETION

Peace and Joy

 

Peace and Joy, that's the heading in my Bible in Romans 5. Peace and Joy are the very things that I experience early in the morning hours as I sit down with a cup of coffee in hand, look around at what I am blessed with and quiet my being so to hear His voice. I bow down before Him seeking His face, giving Him praise and asking for peace and joy in the day He has given me. And I wait expectantly as my day begins! "In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning  I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Ps. 5:3 Have you read Romans 5:1-11 lately? In those verses, "we have" is written seven times, the number of completion. I love how the Word wraps itself around verse after verse. I'll explain further down, but for now, let's see just what it does say "we have". #1   -    we have been justified through faith #2   -   we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ #3   -   we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand through Jesus #4   -   we have the ability to rejoice in our sufferings because of God's love for us #5   -   we have the Holy Spirit who dwells within us #6   -   we have been justified by the blood of Jesus #7   -    we have been reconciled  Wow, what don't we have!!!!! Okay, now for the Word of God and how it wraps itself. I pointed out that there were seven things mentioned that "we have" and that seven is the number of completion.   In Rom. 5:3, it says,  "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance....".   Here is the wrapping, in James 1:2-4, God tells us, 
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
"being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil. 1:6
Completion! After reading His word, "we should for sure have" Peace and Joy!
Thank you Lord for Your word, for Your peace and joy which surpasses all understanding, for loving us first. Thank you for showing us how precious Your word is. Teach us Lord how to walk in Your Peace and Joy all the days of our lives. Amen