OH!

by Tammy Phillips
August 10, 2020

Oh, that you had heeded (payed attention to, pricked up your ears) My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. – Isaiah 48:18 NKJV

When I see and hear God saying “oh” in the Bible, I hear His heart crying out to all.  I hear His love resounding through the universe.    Do you here God’s heart crying out?

We often imitate God in this case.  How many times have we cried, “OH,” in reference to our kids?  It is usually because they have gone their own way and not made the best decisions. If we truly love our children, why do we desire for them to be obedient?  Ultimately, the answer is so they can live their very best life.  God is our Father. He has a great life planned for us.  He wants us to love Him and be obedient to His word because it leads to our best life.

“Oh, how great [is] Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, [Which] You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men! – Psalm 31:19 NKJV

God is a good God and only wants good for us.  God says: “O, that you had paid attention to my words.” The words of God are life. (John 6:63) If we want to live the good life as God intended, we need only to jump into His word and do what it says.

When we listen and obey, He promises results in Isaiah 48:18…

 “Peace like a river”

A river is ever flowing.  It is not stagnant.  It is bountiful and life giving.  Peace ever flowing. Peace bountiful. Peace life giving.  Peace is the Hebrew word shalom, meaning, complete, whole, entire, healthy, prosperity, sound, and secure.  God wants a life for us that is peaceful, complete, whole, healthy and prosperous.  He wants us to live a life where we are lacking nothing.   Dive into His word and do it.  It is that simple and we will live our best life, a complete life.

 “And righteousness like the waves of the sea.”

Waves are righteous is that why we are drawn to them?  Waves know their boundaries, yet the never cease and they never end.  They are faithful, unstoppable and immovable.   To be obedient and to have unstoppable righteousness! Wow!  We get in our way by choosing to do life our own way.   Failure to obey brings delay…of God’s very best.

Do you see God’s heart in these verses?

“OH, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! Therefore, you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and [that it may be] well with you, and [that] you may prolong [your] days in the land which you shall possess. – Deuteronomy 5:29, 32-33 NKJV

I encourage you to choose to read God’s word and do what it says.   It will lead you to your best life.  Life complete and peaceful and flowing.  Otherwise,

“But My people would not heed My voice…and would [have] none of Me. So, I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.  Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!” – Psalm 81:11-13 NKJV