I knew this was scripture, I just didn't know its 'address.' So, I searched and discovered this is Isaiah 26:3. When I turned to this scripture in my Bible, I found it was already underlined and highlighted, so I must have been here before!
The NIV reads: "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
When the Lord brings to my mind a scripture, I have to dissect it to know how it applies to my current situation. Keeping this in mind, here are 4 key definitions according to Webster:
Perfect: complete in all respects; flawless
Peace: serenity, calm, or quiet
Steadfast: firm, fixed, constant
Trust: firm belief in the honesty, reliability, of another; faith
When I looked up this verse in the Message translation, this is what I found: "People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit."
Completely whole.
Steady on their feet.
Because they keep at it and don't quit.
Ok, so now I have the basis of what the words mean. Now it's time to pull out my commentary. Here's what Matthew Henry has to say about Isaiah 26:3
"All who belong to it {the nation that keeps faith - a reference to verse 2} are safe and at peace and have a security and calmness of mind in the assurance of God's favor. Thou wilt keep him in peace, in perfect peace, inner peace, outer peace, peace with God, peace of conscience, peace in all events. Those who trust in God must have their minds firmly set on him. God will keep in perpetual peace those who do so, and that peace will keep them {Psalm 112:7}."
Inner peace
Outer peace
Peace with God
Peace of conscience
Peace in all events
Did you catch that? He provides perfect peace in all events. Not just some events, not just some times...but all events...at all times.
Ok, so I decided to read on to verse 4: "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal."
Matthew Henry has this to say about verse 4: "Trust in him forever, at all times, when you have nothing else to trust in. Whatever we trust in the world for is restricted to the limits of time. But what we trust in God for will last as long as we will last. For in the Lord Jehovah-Jah, Jehovah, in him who was, is, and is to come {Revelation 1:4}-there is, literally, a "Rock of ages," a firm and lasting foundation for faith to build on, and the house built on that rock will stand secure in a storm {Matthew 7:24-25}."
Based on many events that are currently happening in my life right now, God knew this word, this scripture, would be exactly what I needed. If I keep my mind fixed on Him, He will provide a complete serenity, a flawless calm and quiet that I cannot find anywhere else, in anything else.
And of course, this all comes full circle to my life verse, Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
I've had to accept that, if I'm going to trust in God and seek His perfect peace, then that also means I have to trust in His timing. And that's not always the easiest thing to do.
I've had to accept that, if I'm going to trust in God and seek His perfect peace, then that also means I have to trust in His timing. And that's not always the easiest thing to do.
I'm praying for perfect peace for all of you this morning.
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