By Grace: A Perfect Peace
Isaiah 26:1-11
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
(Isaiah 26:3)
We spoke yesterday about "salvation" as meaning being brought from death to eternal life. Many think we have to die to inherit that life. But the LORD says otherwise. We have eternal life right now! We are saved in three tenses. We have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved - past, present, and future. There was a time - you may not remember it - when you were brought from death to life by God's Spirit. There will be a time in the future when you and I will be brought into the LORD's presence for eternity. But Isaiah 26:3 is all about the here and now.
The words "perfect" and "peace" in our focus verse are actually one Hebrew word - "shalom." Shalom is not just the absence of conflict or worry, but the perfection of security, joy, prosperity, and serenity. It is the "peace of God, which transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). It comes to anyone who places his or her trust completely in the all-powerful, all-loving, sovereign grace of the LORD - the "Rock eternal" (v. 4).
INSIGHT
When we trust in anything or anyone more than the living God, we practice idolatry. Only in Christ can we have true "shalom."
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 22-23
Psalm 11
Matthew 18
Isaiah 26:1-11
A Song of Praise to the LORD
1 In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song:
Our city is strong!
We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.
2 Open the gates to all who are righteous;
allow the faithful to enter.
3 You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
4 Trust in the LORD always,
for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.
5 He humbles the proud
and brings down the arrogant city.
He brings it down to the dust.
6 The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot,
and the needy walk all over it.
7 But for those who are righteous,
the way is not steep and rough.
You are a God who does what is right,
and you smooth out the path ahead of them.
8 LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
9 All night long I search for you;
in the morning I earnestly seek for God.
For only when you come to judge the earth
will people learn what is right.
10 Your kindness to the wicked
does not make them do good.
Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong
and take no notice of the LORD’s majesty.
11 O LORD, they pay no attention to your upraised fist.
Show them your eagerness to defend your people.
Then they will be ashamed.
Let your fire consume your enemies.
New Living Translation (NLT)
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