Lets Get Personal: A Look Into My Journal

...I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness.

Isaiah 60:17

-overseer (n): One who keeps watch over and directs the work of others

-taskmaster (n): One who imposes tasks, especially laborious ones

Peace was to be over God's people and was to direct their lives. Once fear had reigned over Israel, once fear had ruled over us; out of fear we acted, made decisions and even loved. But God replaces that fear with peace, which is now our motivation for all we do. A peace that no matter what happens God is still divine and our salvation is still certain. A peace that allows us to truly live as if God goes before us in everything and behinds us as our rear guard (Isa. 52:12) However, God has also appointed righteousness as our taskmaster, that His people might be directed to labor over righteousness the rest of their days. Righteousness does not come easily as we are naturally inclined to labor over sin and destruction apart from God, we must work hard towards it. However, much like Sisyphus' task is eternally futile, our striving and laboring after righteousness is also forever fruitless without the power of the Holy Spirit and the motivation that comes from abiding in Christ. It is only when both these are present and alive that the laborious task appointed to us also becomes a joy, and the rock we push towards the summit of future glorification no longer rolls backwards and crushes us but instead rests securely on the ground, pleasing to the father, as it rolls closer and closer to Christ.