Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. —Isaiah 48: 18
Israel had stopped heeding God. They had turned their backs on His commandments and wouldn't listen to His voice; yet they still claimed to be His people, and they still swore by His name.
God knew they had chosen a path that was going to bring them pain. He warned them and pleaded with them through His prophets. However, they continued to ignore Him and disregard His commandments. As a result, their lives were filled with misery, pain, and calamity. God saw their suffering and said, "If you had only listened, you could have had peace like a river." But instead of peace, they had only turmoil, devastation, and constant upheaval.
God wants your life to overflow with joy— and peace.
Out of their great love for their children, parents will try to keep them from making mistakes. We want our children to have good lives, lives filled with joy. We want them to have peaceful lives.
God is our parent. He has those same desires for us— for you. Because He loves you, He wants you to have a good life, a life of blessing and contentment.
And so God reminds you today: "Heed My commandments; listen to My voice."
Father, how thankful we are that You love us with a stubborn love that refuses to let go.
Teach us, Lord, to listen to Your voice and to hearken to Your commandments, that we might walk in the path of peace and righteousness until there be peace like a river.
In Jesus' name, amen.