“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4
As I sit here this morning meditating on God’s word I was struck once again by the immensity of these few words. In just a few words God through His prophet Isaiah wraps up some of the most problematic issues that affect us and have affected His people since the Fall.
Peace and in this case “perfect peace” is elusive in this life, as far as we are concerned. Yet, the statement above can’t be any clearer. It basically states that for the believer it IS NOT elusive at all. That can’t be true you say because of how much turmoil my life is in so many times during the day, the week, the month or the year! When we measure our life by our circumstances peace will always be elusive but God gives us a different measurement.
“Perfect peace” is the Hebrew words “shalom shalom” placed together. As we know, repetition communicates intensity especially in Hebrew. God wants us to understand the depth of His loving care so he repeats Himself often. It is almost as if one assurance isn’t enough…and of course, it isn’t, and that always seems to be the case. How often throughout the Bible does God remind us that He is with us, mainly because our faith is so weak…since we don’t do the hard work…with fear and trembling…to maintain that faith God has given us in and by His grace. As weaklings in many areas we are constantly on the hunt for affirmation…and guess what, God delights in reminding His own with the correct kind of affirmation that tells us of the depth of His steadfast love by keeping us in His perfect peace.
But if this statement is true…and of course it is…then why do we still find His peace elusive? Answer: we search for peace in all the wrong places…period. In our text He says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” In other words, if our minds our “stayed” or focused on anything else…ourselves, someone else, our problems, or even the problems of others rather than being “stayed” or completely focused on the LORD then we can’t and we won’t experience the peace…the perfect peace which then leads us to making wise decisions as we trust in the LORD. Isaiah told us that Jesus is our “Prince of Peace” and we are in Christ so we experience His peace. Jesus told us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) Jesus knew how important it was to repeat this promise of His peace to His own.And then we have Paul, who proclaims to us, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1) We can and will experience this perfect peace when our minds are stayed upon Him first and foremost…if anything gets in the way of Jesus being primary in our minds and hearts we will always wonder… “Where’s the peace?”
Satan loves to distract believers to anything else other than God. Our fallen nature distracts us because we don’t truly trust in His ways to get us through. We will always keep our minds focused on what we trust, which is usually ourselves and our individual decisions over God’s will no matter how hard it may be or how it will affect others around you. There is NO PEACE for this person.
Of course, a stayed mind upon the Lord then enables us to trust in Him since we are not wondering or caring what anyone else says that is different than the Lord. When our minds are truly focused on Him we can hear these words and not get upset by His commanding…not asking…but commanding us, “Trust in the LORD forever”. We get upset by absolutes when we are NOT stayed upon Him. We get angry when other Christians tell us we don’t have an option to NOT do what God commands when our heart and mind is on ourselves rather than God and His Word. God makes this a command because He loves us so much…because He knows that in Him is perfect peace …that which alludes us in this life…and… because He knows that He is the “…everlasting rock” nothing or no one can be that for us other than Him.
Do you want to know today if you trust the Lord with more than lip service? Then ask yourself these two questions and be brutally honest with your answers (since God knows all things): “Who or what do you seek first in crisis, hardship or even simple decisions? When you do pray about it, how long do you wait on an answer before you simply trudge ahead?”
Read it again, You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 Do you see what He is saying to you…to me…to all of us who claim His name…then live accordingly!
God Bless you today…see you on the 18th!
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
