Perfect Peace

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” –Isaiah 26:3-4. NET

Notice first who keeps one in peace—the LORD. God Himself ensures us that His peace is always there for the taking.

And not just any peace, but supernatural fruit (Gal 5:22)—“perfect peace.” Jesus said, “My peace I give to you,” (Joh 14:27)—“the peace of God that surpasses all understanding” (Phi 4:7).

Let’s consider His peace, which allowed Him to stay sleeping in the back of the boat while His disciples were paddling in a panic, assured they were about to die by drowning.

“On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.’ So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him. Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?’ So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Be quiet! Calm down!’ Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. And he said to them, ‘Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?’ They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!’” –Mark 4:35-41, NET

Notice that when they awoke Him, He confidently told the sea to be still, and inquired to their cowardice (Mark 4:39-40). Not once did He lose peace, even though chaos surrounded him—both outside the boat on the swirling sea and in the boat among his frightened followers. It is THIS peace that He offers to us. If we but have the faith.

Let us consider that Jesus knew and trusted His Father who sent Him across the sea as He followed in total obedience (Joh 5:19). Jesus knew who sent the windstorm (Psa 107:25-26), and He completely trusted its Creator (Luke 22:42; 1Pe 2:23) who knows how to lovingly provide for His Son (Mat 7:9-11). There was never any danger of drowning; the goal was a guarantee (Job 42:2). They were merely experiencing the “thundering” and “thick darkness” of God meant to test His people (Exo 20:18-21) and to build the faith of doubting disciples (1Pe 1:7). Yet they failed the test, and quickly assumed that because they felt their physical lives threatened, that their captain was uncaring (Mark 4:38).

So what were they fearing, and what were they clinging to in value? Their earthly lives. They sought to preserve their physical bodies, and thus shrank away from what demanded its release (Luk 17:33)—the very Source of safety (Psa 37:39) and peace (Rom 16:20).

May we not be found among those that shrink back for fear of losing our flesh (Exo 20:18-19), but walk by faith (Heb 10:38-39). We need not doubt His concern for our wellbeing (Mar 4:38), and we cling not to our own lives (Rev 12:11), but instead we seek to draw nearer His presence (Exo 33:15). Here, our “mind is stayed on” Him, remaining single focused on “the surpassing worth” of knowing Christ (Phi 3:8). HE becomes our consuming emphasis (Col 3:1), and we abide in His love by walking in-step to His every command (John 15:10). Here we “fear Him,” fear being separated from real Life (Psa 51:11-12), drawing us away from sin and closer to the Master of the storm (Exo 20:20-21; Psa 107:28-32). For once we see His value, we joyfully surrender all our earthly trinkets for His eternal treasures (Mat 13:44).

And let us not forget the mission (Mat 28:18-20). See this glorious kingdom secret (Mat 13:11). Though He has departed bodily, Jesus has left His Spirit to continue the assignment through us (Joh 16:7)—to declare the good news (Mark 16:15) that Jesus still “seeks and saves the lost” (Luk 19:10). We are sent as He was sent, still under His protection and set apart in truth (Joh 17:15-19). We are sent as His witnesses throughout the world (Act 1:8)—the very world that is under a dark curse (Gen 3:16-19) and the terrifying wrath of almighty God (Rom 1:18-20). However, we are at peace with our Creator (Eph 2:17-22), and thus having nothing to fear (Psa 91:5-7; 1Jo 4:18). We are His “ambassadors” who have been given “the ministry of reconciliation,” to “reconcile the world” to our compassionate LORD (2Co 5:18-21) so they too can experience His peace (Luk 2:14). But how will they hear unless someone is sent to preach to them (Rom 10:14-15), not just in word, but in deed (Rom 15:18; 1Jo 3:18)?

Though the tumultuous tempest tossed the disciples about, they were not going to drown in the chaos they were commanded to row out into; Jesus ensures the safety of His passengers (Mark 4:35-36; John 6:39). Likewise, our LORD promises to never leave us or forsake us (Deu 31:8). He will remain by our side (Mat 28:20). For we are God’s children (Gal 4:6), intimately known (Gal 4:9), dearly loved (Eph 5:1), and sealed for the day of redemption (Eph 4:20). Our heavenly Father promises to work ALL things for our good (Rom 8:28). Nothing is able to separate us from His love (Rom 8:35-39). Though persecution and hardship and even physical death may come, our life is protected (Psa 121:5-7)—“not a hair of your head will perish,” (Luke 21:18), for He has numbered them and not a bird falls to the ground apart from His will (Mat 10:26-31). We live even if we die (John 11:25-26). With this kind of guarantee, why, my soul, do you ever doubt?

Let us remember that as His Spirit goes with us, so does His peace (Joh 20:21-22). If we but trust in the LORD, all joy and peace is ours to the filling (Rom 15:13)—even in every chaotic storm of this fallen world (ex: Act 27:20-25).