You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3
A pirouette is a graceful spin that’s executed by ballerinas and contemporary dancers alike. As a child, I loved to do pirouettes in my modern dance class, whirling round and round until I was dizzy in the head and fell to the ground. As I got older, a trick I learned to help me maintain my balance and control was “spotting”—identifying a single point for my eyes to return to each time I made a full circle spin. Having a single focal point was all I needed to master my pirouette with a graceful finish.
We all face many twists and turns in life. When we focus on our problems, however, the things we encounter seem unmanageable, leaving us dizzy and heading toward a disastrous fall. The Bible reminds us that if we keep our minds steadfast, or focused, on God, He’ll keep us in “perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3). Perfect peace means that no matter how many turns life takes, we can remain calm, assured that God will be with us through our problems and trials. He’s the “Rock eternal” (v. 4)—the ultimate “spot” to fix our eyes on—because His promises never change.
May we keep our eyes on Him as we go through each day, going to Him in prayer and studying His promises in the Scriptures. May we rely on God, our eternal Rock, to help us move gracefully through all of life.
What problems have you been focused on lately? What has God revealed in Scripture about the trials you face?
Dear heavenly Father, forgive me for focusing on the problems I face each day. I know You’ve conquered the world and remain bigger than my trials. Help me turn my eyes and heart to You in every circumstance.
INSIGHT
The book of Isaiah tells of Israel’s, Egypt’s, and Assyria’s threats to Judah’s survival (739–701 bc) during the reigns of Ahaz (Isaiah 7–35) and his son Hezekiah (chs. 36–39). Against the backdrop of these military invasions, Isaiah assured the people of Judah that God would come to their rescue if only they’d trust Him—and not other nations—to help them. God’s promised deliverance is embedded in the prophet’s own name, for Isaiah means “Yahweh saves.” Ahaz refused to trust God (7:10–17; see 2 Chronicles 28), but Hezekiah did (Isaiah 37:14–21; see 2 Chronicles 32:1–23). Isaiah 26 is a song of praise proclaiming Yahweh’s victory for Judah, celebrating His salvation, restoration, safety, and “perfect peace” (v. 3; Hebrew shalom, meaning peace, safety, prosperity, well-being, wholeness) for those who humble themselves, honor Him, and completely trust in Him—“the Rock eternal” (v. 4).