"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
Isaiah 26:3
As we prepare to head into another crazy busy holiday season, I wanted to chat for a minute about peace. We all want peace - peace in our heart, peace with our family, peace with our friends and neighbors - but peace can be hard to find during the craziness of the holidays. Isaiah 26 talks about finding peace, and not just any peace, but perfect peace. David Guzik's commentary on Isaiah 26 tells us that the Hebrew term for perfect peace is actually shalom shalom. This shows how in Hebrew, repetition communicates intensity. It isn't just shalom; it is shalom shalom, perfect peace.
Thankfully, the verse doesn't just tell us about perfect peace, it shows us how we can acquire perfect peace - by keeping our mind fixed on the Lord. He is the source of our peace, and when we keep our mind settled and established on the Lord Himself, we can be kept in His perfect peace.
The Bible talks an awful lot about the importance of our mind. We are to love the Lord our God with all of our mind (Matthew 22:37). We are transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). We can have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16, Philippians 3:19), but to set our mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). The Christian life is not an unthinking life of just doing, or experiencing, but it is also about thinking, and where we set our mind is essential in our walk before the Lord. (David Guzik)
To be kept in this perfect peace, our mind must be stayed. The Hebrew word sawmak comes from the rot "to prop," and has the idea "to lean upon or take hold of ... bear up, establish, uphold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay, sustain" (Strong's Dictionary).
So what props you up? What does your mind lean on? What sustains your mind throughout your day? If the answer is anything other than Christ Himself, you'll find yourself lacking the peace you so desire. To have perfect peace, you mind can't just occasionally come to the Lord; it has to be stayed on Him.
I created this page to illustrate the perfect peace that can be found in Jesus this holiday season. I used acrylic paints, blank ink, clear iridescent embossing powder, and the Chunky Alpha and Cheerful Snowmen stamp sets from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps to create this page.
Wishing you a holiday season full of peace in Jesus Christ!
Janelle
P.S. Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is turning 12 this month!! 💖 They are celebrating with a sale all month long: 12% off your entire order (no code needed). Click on the stamp sets below to shop. 😍
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