Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: Isaiah 26:3,4
Heavenly Father, thank You for the assurance of peace. Teach us how to be peaceful, for Christ’s sake. Amen
Last month we looked at another promise of peace. It was Jesus offering His peace; a peace that is different from what the world gives. We discovered that one of the reasons we lose our peacefulness is because we tend to forget what the Lord has done, and what He is capable of doing. Today, we will consider another avenue to that same peace, for only the Lord can give us peace. That avenue is to have our minds stayed on the Lord; trusting in Him.
So how do we cultivate this trust? For most of us, learning to trust is not easy (this is usually in relation to other human beings). And somehow, we tend to transfer this lack of trust to our dealings with God. It is suggested that it would be better if parents did not make promises to their children, rather than to fail to keep their promises. Failing to keep our promises, tend to affect our children’s ability to trust, especially if this happens on a regular basis. Because we as parents, are our children’s first glimpse of “God,” it is so important that we help them to see a God that they can trust!
How do we keep our minds “stayed on the Lord?” I think very much in the same way we keep our minds stayed on that young man or young woman that we are in love with. That is not a hard thing to do. Just consider it. If you correspond by mail, you read, and re-read their letters. Even though you may have read that letter a dozen times, it always seems as if it is the first time you are reading it. The same is true if you communicate with him or her via the telephone. You could be on that phone for hours and yet it seems like just a few minutes. (And you don’t mind paying the bill at the end of the month!)
Can you imagine the peace we would have if we read and re-read the word of God constantly? If we memorized the promises, and rejoiced in the love expressed in His love letter, the Bible? Can you visualize the kind of churches we would have if everyone was spending hours that seem like minutes, talking to the Lover of our Souls in prayer? Imagine the peacefulness that would prevail over our committee, church board, and business, meetings!
And the more we thought about Him, spent time speaking to Him and reading His Word; the more we would learn to trust Him. I dare say that our doctor bills would all but disappear! The peace that comes from trusting the Lord, is the best medicine we can take!
But there is even more. Verse four encourages us to trust in Him “forever!” And it is interesting how several translations end verse four: “for in Jehovah is an everlasting rock,” or, “for in JAH, Jehovah is the rock of ages.” When the prophet invited God’s people to trust in the Lord, he was inviting them to put their trust in a sure foundation, the Rock of ages! You will never find a more solid base for your faith.
Keep your mind stayed on the Lord, trust Him today, and receive that perfect peace! Blessings!