Points to Ponder

Perfect Peace
TEXT: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26: 3-4)
 
THOUGHT: There is a close connection between the opening verses of Isaiah 26 and the words of our text. In his song of victory Isaiah describes a strong city with salvation for its walls and bulwarks and open gates for those whose lives are characterized by righteousness and truth. The prophet then goes on to speak of the security and serenity of those who live within this city of God. So we have:
 
I.                   The Source of Perfect Peace. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You…for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (v.3-4). The source of this wonderful peace is the Lord Jehovah. He is spoken of in these matchless verses as the “everlasting strength” or literally, the “rock of ages.” How comforting to know that in a world where everything seems to be shaking and shifting the Christian can stay his mind upon the Rock of Ages.
 
II.                The Scope of Perfect Peace. “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You.” (v.3). The scholars tell us that this should more accurately read, “You will keep him in ‘peace, peace’ whose mind is stayed on You.” The peace which God offers His own people is not intermittent or occasional, but rather like a glorious river ever flowing in its unbroken fullness to the believing heart. (See Phil. 4:7).
 
III.             The Secret of Perfect Peace. “ You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You… Trust in the Lord forever.” (v.3-4). The word for “mind” here is “thought or imagination.” It is within the area of our thoughts and imaginations that unrest, turmoil, and fear begin; but to stay our minds, in simple trust, upon Jehovah is to know perfect peace.
 
THRUST:
Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blest;
Finding, as he promised,
Perfect peace and rest.
by Francis R. Haveral
Dr. Olford is founder and senior lecturer of the Stephen Olford Center for Biblical Preaching.  Points to Ponder is a monthly feature in Pulpit Helps.
Sponsored by: Master's Divinity School [www.mdivs.edu]