“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” – Isaiah 26:3
Scripture reading: Isaiah 26:1-9
Isaiah 26 prophesies that a song will be sung “in that day,” which is the day of God’s salvation, and the song is a song of praise and joy. The coming of Jesus and His salvation is the fulfillment of this prophecy, and that salvation comes to all who believe in Him. As we noted yesterday, in Christ we have been reconciled to God and are now at peace with Him.
But this reconciliation, this objective peace leads to an internal peace. It is a peace, a calm, an inward tranquility believers have because they know they are in the family of God, and their heavenly Father is for them, not against them. It is this blessed fruit of the Holy Spirit that compelled Horatio Spafford to write the hymn “It is Well with My Soul” after learning that his four daughters had been killed in a tragic accident.
And this sense of peace, this “shalom,” also affects our relationships. The peaceful believer is inclined to be a peacemaker. Paul tells us in Romans 12:18, “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Our natural, sinful inclination can incline us to seek conflict and dwell on disagreements, but the Holy Spirit works in our minds and hearts to live peaceably with all. And this blessed fruit of the Spirit, this peace, “which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
Suggestions for prayer
Pray for that inward, calming peace that only the Spirit can give. Ask forgiveness for the weak faith that causes anxiety and fear.
Rev. Derrick Vander Meulen was born and raised in California and has been an ordained minister of the Gospel for nearly 33 years. He is now serving as pastor of Coram Deo Reformation Church (URC) near Denver, Colorado. He is also the General Editor of the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
