How to Find Peace

It looks like I am going to need a bit more time before resuming Ecclesiastes. This summer has been happily full of much activity and family fellowship. This next series of blogs is from the chapter that contains my life verse—Isaiah 26:3. I pray that the thoughts the Lord gave me in this section will encourage you as well.

Isaiah 26:1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

“In that day” = The day when the Lord is ruling from Mount Zion, the people of Israel have been restored in fellowship to God, and His hand is at rest in Jerusalem.

Isaiah is forseeing a time when all Israel will be singing the praise of God for making Jerusalem a place of security and provision for His people.

Isaiah 26:2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Jerusalem will be a city of open gates, ready to welcome the Jews returning home from the diaspora as well as peoples from other nations who are righteous before God and who safeguard His truth.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

This has been my life verse for a long time. I was drawn to this verse initially because of the godly example of my mother-in-law who claimed this verse as her life verse. If this was the verse that motivated and encouraged her to become the woman of God that she was, that was the verse I wanted. Through the years the Lord has impressed upon me the significance and power of the truth of this verse in growing in faith and continuing to strive to become the woman of God He would have me be.

I think the key phrase is “whose mind is stayed on thee.” When our mind is focused on Jesus/God, the enemy has no room for attack and the flesh is in submission. Just like Peter—When our focus is on the Lord we are empowered to act in the supernatural, but the moment we allow our focus to be misdirected, we will begin sinking to the depths of defeat. (cf Matthew 14:25-31) It’s when we take our focus off Jesus, that the door is opened to the attack of the enemy and we experience battle with our sin nature.

This promise is a statement of fact—If you keep your mind on Jesus, you will have perfect peace. I thought the Hebrew for the word “mind” was quite enlightening—

3336. rRx´y yetser, yay´-tser; from 3335; a form; figuratively, conception (i.e. purpose):—frame, thing framed, imagination, mind, work.
3335. rAxÎy yatsar, yaw-tsar´…to mould into a form; especially as a potter; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a resolution)…

And from good old Webster—
The intellectual or rational faculty in man; the understanding; the intellect; the power that conceives, judges, or reasons; also, the entire spiritual nature; the soul; — often in distinction from the body.

“stayed” = to lean upon or take hold of, lay, lean, lie hard, rest self, set self, sustain.

As I look at these different definitions, it makes a powerful word picture. Our mind, our imagination, should be in a position comparable to clay in the hands of a potter. Our ideas, judgments and logic should have their foundation in the person and character of God and in His word. We should be resting in confidence and sustained by our faith in God and His word. This mindset is a position of choice and determination that results in action.

When we act on that choice and determination, God gives us “perfect peace.” The Hebrew for this phrase includes “safety, happiness, health, prosperity, restoration and reward.” This is not a formula to apply to our physical condition/circumstances. The importance of this investment is in our spiritual condition and well-being. The culture of today has been so trained/conditioned to think in terms of the physical/material, that we have lost sight of the fact that it is spiritual/eternal preparation and provision that is most important, most valuable. I had never thought of the word restoration in connection with this peace before. The truth is that the “emptiness” in our life caused by sin is an evidence for the need and desire of restored fellowship with our Creator.

As I look at the Hebrew, I think the better translation would be—“whose mind is stayed on and trusteth in thee.” The Hebrew for trust includes confidence, boldness and security. We place ourselves in a position of clay with confidence in the Potter. We are secure in our position because of His character, Who He is. That confidence and security will produce a bold testimony before the world.

The more I meditate on this verse, the more powerfully it speaks to me.