18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments–then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.
(1 Nephi 20:18, Isaiah 48:18)
The imagery in this passage from Isaiah is compelling to me.
I can easily imagine a calm, wide river, flowing powerfully but with no anxiety or conflict. The flat glassy surface betokens peace and tranquility. This peace is not the absence of power but rather the channeling of power to useful purposes.
I can also visualize waves: dynamic, constant, and unyielding. You can surf them but you can’t control them. They move in accordance with a celestial rhythm. Waves are caused by wind and by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon. (“Why Does the Ocean Have Waves?” National Ocean Service website)
It seems to me that if I want peace in my life like that river, and if I want my righteous efforts to be as powerful as ocean waves, then I need my life to be in harmony with celestial patterns as well. As Isaiah explains above, that peace and that power can be ours, if we are willing to obey the commandments of our Father in Heaven.
Today, I will be grateful for a God who is willing to share His peace and His power with me. I will recommit to obey His commandments, so that my peace might be like a river and my righteousness might be like the waves of the sea.