Perfect Peace
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)
A Possible Translation
Thou will keep him in peace peace (word is repeated for emphasis) whose thoughts are supported by You, because he trusts in you. We tend to take old testament promises that are made to Israel and apply them to ourselves. Often, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment when the promise does not get fulfilled. In some cases, however, this is alright since the principle in the promise certainly does apply to us today. This is one of those cases. While the original encouragement is to the inhabitants of Judah who will be taken into captivity, it would seem to apply to anyone who trusts in the Lord. So, I would take this for my own encouragement today.
Our Living Room
My wife has the above verse sitting on a little stand by our fireplace. It is a constant reminder that we can have peace in troublesome times. But that peace requires us to keep our focus on the Lord. As I have been talking to different people and their fears during this pandemic, it is clear to me that we as a people tend to have more confidence in ourselves than we do in the Lord. I keep hearing, “What if? And the implication is “What should I do?” Well, I do think we need to use our rebates prudently, we need to follow the guidelines on social isolation and hygiene, but most of all we need to keep our focus on the promises of God. If we are saved, the worst that can happen to us is that we will die because of this pandemic. But apart from the rapture of the church, we are all going to die one way or another. But the question is, “How will we survive until we die?” Will we have continual pestilence and famine and natural disasters from now on? Will we be able to live the normal comfortable lives that we have enjoyed in the past? Thinking about these things can keep us up at night. So, we need to keep our minds or thoughts stayed or supported by the Lord.
New Testament Promises that Keep our Thoughts stayed on the Lord
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:12 NKJV.) I remind myself that though I was once a child of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), I am now a child of God. Since my God is a king, I am a prince.
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they (Matthew 6:26 NKJV?) I am reminded that the God who cares for the birds considers me to be of more value than the birds.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:33-34 NKJV.) I am reminded that if I put God first, He will take care of me. I don’t need to worry. However, this is a conditional promise.
And of course, I could come up with many more promises that should encourage us. I would consider worry to be sin since it certainly is due to a lack of trust in the Lord. But the Apostle John says, “If we say that we have no sin (worry), we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins (worries), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned (worried), we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us (1 John 1:8-10 NKJV.)
Worrying Just a Little Bit?
So if you tell me you aren’t worrying at least just a little bit, I am going to find that hard to believe. However, if we are worrying, we need to discipline our minds to think on the Lord. Think of His love. Think of the His qualities and character. Think of the empty tomb. Think of the home He is preparing for us and think of the fact that He says He will take care of us. And remember that when we worry the Lord has been touched by the feelings of our infirmities and He understands (Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJV}. If we confess that worry as sin, He has provided for our forgiveness and the restoration of our fellowship with Him. He wants us to have peace.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of April 12, 2020