Read Psalm 85:9-13. 9Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. 10Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. 12Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.
At the time of the Babylonian Exile the Shekinah Glory of God departed the temple. Soon the people would depart the Promised Land. But hope was not lost. There would be a return of the people to the land. However, despite the building of a new temple in Jerusalem, the manifested glory of God would not return, not for another 500 years, and not as a cloud but as the Christ.
It is in the cross of Christ that love and faithfulness will meet. It is in the cross of Christ that peace and righteousness will kiss. At the cross, Christ’s faithfulness will spring up from the earth while the Father’s righteousness looks down from the heavens. Heaven and Earth would finally meet, joined in one unifying purpose, the purpose of Eden – God loving man and man serving God.
Now these partnerships of the cross are alive and at work in us. Love and faithfulness (truth), righteousness and peace, these were not in conflict at the cross, but in concert. This is now true for us who are in Christ. Our Christian unity is where truth is spoken in love. Together our righteousness brings peace to those around us. Everything that the cross brought together, every attribute of God, is now fulfilled in us. The gospel keeps truth and love together, righteousness and peace side by side. The more we see these attributes of God meeting at the cross, the more we will see them in our meetings with one another.
To live is Christ is to live with all the fullness of God. The fullness of his truth joined by the fullness of his love. The fullness of his righteousness kissing the fullness of his peace. Yes, we can be honest and caring at the same time. We can pursue righteousness and pursue peace at the same time. We can and we must by his grace.
You: Do you tend to lean toward righteousness or peace? Truth or love?
You in Christ: In Christ you have all of God’s fullness. How does believing this allow us to reflect his fullness in our character?
Christ in you: How can you pursue the balance of both truth and love? Righteousness and peace?
Prayer. Father, all your attributes were on display in Christ’s cross. Now they are alive in me in Christ. Amen.
To Live is Christ 