This morning I have spent a lot of time praying…so many people and things that came to mind and so I brought them to the Father.
Situations beyond my control; things I would like to see changed, things that concern me and those I love. And as I prayed, I did get the Lord’s peace and I also received His instruction.
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 NLT
“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
Same verse – two different translations. Look at those two words that I put in bold type. Fixed. Stayed.
Last week we hung some pictures on the wall of our new RV. They were affixed to the wall with both nails and museum putty. We want to make sure they stay in place when we travel down the road. Some people say that RV’s go through the equivalent of an earthquake every time they are towed. Things have a tendency to move around and we didn’t want that happening with the pictures.
But this morning, that was the image the Lord gave me about my thoughts. If I’m going to be at peace my thoughts need to be fixed and stayed on my trust in the Lord and His word. Held tight in the earthquake of life’s circumstances.
And if that weren’t enough, the Lord reminded me of my teaching just a few days back about hope being our anchor. Again, an anchor is something that holds us in a “fixed” position, so we don’t drift off course. But here’s one more thought the Lord brought to mind. It’s regarding our confidence in His love.
“and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love.” Ephesians 3:17 CEV
A tree that is deeply rooted in the soil won’t blow over in the wind; it stays in place.
All through God’s word we have examples, word pictures, of the stability and strength that our lives have when we trust, have faith in, stay fixed upon, God’s love for us and the promises of His word!
If you’re having trouble holding on to your peace, then do what Dave and I did with those pictures. Nail them down and stick them in place.
Keep your heart fixed upon the Lord. Make it stay put!