by Susan Fleming

What mountains have been removed in your life?  What hills are shaking?  Jesus told us that in this life there will be tribulation and distress.  Hard times will surely come.  And if nothing is shaking in your world today, it will one of these days.

“For the mountains may be removed
and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says the Lord who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10

We know that Jesus has overcome the world and has triumphed over sin and death.  But what does that do for me today?  Now, in my circumstances?  When my mountains are removed and my hills shake?

“Another tropical storm has formed…”
“The devastation is widespread…”
“There were no survivors…”
“I’m sorry.  We did all we could…”
“I don’t love you anymore…”

I’ll tell you what it means to me.  Through Jesus Christ, God has opened up a way for me to be in fellowship with Him. And wonder of wonders, He loves me!  No matter what difficulties arise in my life, no matter how challenging circumstances or people become, no matter what else I lose, He still loves me.  No matter how rocky the road, how rough the seas, how rebellious my heart – He still loves me.

He says, “My lovingkindness will not be removed from you.”  His lovingkindness… His kind intent towards me, His mercy poured out on me, His grace lavished on me, His unfailing love engulfing me… never to be removed, never less because of my foolishness, never withheld because of my unfaithfulness.  “I love you,” He whispers to my heart, and I am filled with joy unspeakable.

And He says, “My covenant of peace will not be shaken.”  It’s His covenant – He designed it and initiated it and guarantees its fulfillment.  I am no longer at enmity with Him, no longer guilty of high treason, no longer condemned for my sin, but He has purchased my peace with Him at the ultimate price – the blood of His very own Son.  And I stand before Him, not just acquitted and free, but adopted and loved!

I know only a little of what that covenant means to my life, but He knows the full extent of it, the complete intent of it – and He doesn’t just live up to the part of it that I understand, but He promises to live up to the whole thing, forever.  All the ramifications that I cannot even fathom – He will see it through.  It’s a little like my friends’ adopted son – he doesn’t have a clue about the responsibilities his parents have assumed, and he has no ability to make sure he remains their son.  They don’t limit their activities on his behalf to what he thinks they should be doing – it’s much bigger than he can imagine.

We know that this world, and all that is in it, is passing away.  The mountains in our lives will be removed, and the hills will be shaken, but if you belong to God, His steadfast love will not be removed from you, and His covenant of peace will not be shaken.

What effect does God’s covenant of peace have on your heart today? Leave us a comment and let us know.