Peace, Perfect Peace

You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3 NLT).

In my home, growing up, there was a plaque on the wall, right by the front door, that quoted the above verse. Each time, I left the house, I was reminded to, “keep in perfect peace, by trusting and fixing thoughts on Him.”

If we look around us, there isn’t peace. Riots and damage in cities. Bombing in the Middle East. Politicians arguing constantly.

But God promises peace. He has some conditions for that peace: all who trust in you. We must trust–even in the middle of circumstances outside our control. As well as trust, are our thoughts are fixed on God. What does that mean? That in spite of circumstances, we lean on the promises God gives us. To do that, we need to be in God’s word. There are places in the world, where people will die to get a Bible, or parts of the Bible. We in this country have multiple copies of this precious book. The best thing we can do, is go to his word–the Bible. Not to the most recent news cast or podcast, not to food or drink, but the Bible.

I think about the little song I learned in Sunday School. I don’t know if children sing it anymore, but it goes like this: The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the word of God, the B-I-B-L-E! That is really simple, but also very true.

My first Bible

So, in order to receive peace, I need to trust, keep my thoughts fixed on God, focus my heart and mind on the truth of God’s word.

Trust isn’t just a verbal “I believe God exists,” but a belief in his promises. One of my go-to verses when I don’t know where to turn or what to do:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:5-6).

It isn’t really a magic formula, but a deep peace that comes to those who go to him in belief that he hears. There is peace. Unexplainable peace.