Lynda MacDonald - "GOD IS OUR PEACE" - word2day.com Bible Studies

GOD IS OUR PEACE

Lynda MacDonald, Nova Scotia

One of the awesome names of God in Hebrew is “YHVH SHALOM –God Who Is Peace”.

It does not say God will give peace but the very essence of peace is God –He Is Peace! In a troubled world searching for peace, people overlook who peace is –Almighty God.

Isaiah 26:3 reads “A person whose desire rests on you

You preserve in perfect peace,

Because he trusts in you”

Verse 4 is even more descriptive

“Trust in Adonai forever,

Because in Yah Adonai (The LORD God)

Is a Rock of Ages” (Complete Jewish Bible)

Looking at the NIV, I like the way it is put –

“You will keep in perfect peace

Him whose mind is steadfast

Because he trusts in you.

Trust in the LORD forever,

For the LORD, the LORD

Is the Rock eternal.”

Some wonderful truths arise from this passage. The most profound is that peace is only given by God to those who trust Him and are unwavering in that trust. The world can search high and low to find peace to no avail unless they open their hearts up to God. He needs to fill that vacancy.

Another word that stands out in this passage is the word “keep”. To keep means, “hold on to”. When The Most High God holds on to you, you are safe no matter what situation you might find yourself in. This Rock that “holds on to you” is eternal. That hold will never fade or wane – this is a guarantee from God, Himself. Where else can you get a guarantee that will never run out?

Yeshua (Jesus) re-affirms this promise in John 14:27

“What I am leaving with you is peace-

I am giving you my peace.

I don’t give that way the world gives.

Don’t let yourselves be upset or frightened.”

Amid the terrorism and strife that we hear about every day is a place in God where we can snuggle. God’s lap is big and comfy and safe. He has arms that can wrap around us and hug us as we trust in our “Abba” (Daddy)

Yeshua knows the Father intimately. He tells truth about the kind of father God is to us if we keep our mind steadfastly on Him.

I think of Peter as he stepped out of that boat onto the water of the Galilee. As long as he kept his mind steadfast on Yeshua, he was safe. Whenever he looked at the circumstance around him, he began to sink into the circumstance.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were setting in prison (circumstance) but their mind was steadfast on God for they were praying and singing to God.

I can almost hear their voices singing this song:

“It doesn’t depend on the circumstance,

The strength of my arm or my voice.

It doesn’t depend on the way I feel –

I’ve made up my mind –

And I’m gonna rejoice!

I will rejoice! I will rejoice! I will rejoice!

For I’ve made my choice to rejoice

-In the LORD!” (Brent Chambers)

Hallelujah! What a place of peace to be in!

Have you made it your choice to be in God’s lap? Have you found that safe, snuggly place of peace when the storm is raging around you?