How Can I Have God’s Peace?
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
This verse is a part of Israel’s song of salvation, which has a theme of righteousness and peace. There can be no true peace apart from righteousness, and there can be no righteousness apart from salvation in Jesus Christ! Psalm 85:10 speaks of the salvation Jesus made possible for us, describing what took place at the Cross: “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.”
Verse 1 of Isaiah 26 refers to a day when Jesus will defeat His enemies and reign over all. Blessings will follow. Israel will be strong and sing the salvation song of Isaiah 26. There is not much peace in Jerusalem today, but on that day, Jerusalem will b a city of “perfect peace.”
Jesus is the source of true peace. Angels announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds by saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14). Jesus gives us peace in three ways. First, He gives us peace with God. We cannot have peace with God apart from the salvation that Jesus makes available.
Second, He gives us the peace of God. When Jesus is our Lord, “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard (our) hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). When our world seems to be falling apart, Jesus can give us a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Third, Jesus gives us peace that comes from God. Isaiah says that when Jesus rules over this earth, “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not life up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).
It is Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), not the United Nations, that we need today for world peace. Today the world despises Jesus and gives Him no seat at the negotiating table. Yet our world will never know peace until Jesus rules over the world. Prince means “head person”. When Jesus is the head person, whether in a life a nation, or a world, He will produce peace!
Lord, I remove myself from the throne of my life and call You my King. Occupy this throne and rule my life for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Arden Taylor, Gray, TN