Bear Much Fruit: Peace

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.”

– Isa. 26:3

There is no more heartbeat for my little girl.

But peace

Sobbing while on the phone with my mom from a hospital bed.

But peace

A hand in mine, belonging to a crying father.

But peace

A wearied doctor with no answers.

But peace

Silence from the newly-birthed lips that resemble mine.

But peace

Watching the nurse walk my daughter’s tender body from the hospital room and out of my earthly life.

But peace

Funeral flowers instead of welcome-home wishes.

But peace

A nursery now for no one.

Oh Lord, give us Your perfect peace! Isaiah 26:3 literally reads: “[one of] firm purpose you will keep [in] peace, peace, for in you he possesses trust.”

This “peace, peace” is especially for us who mourn. After all, preparing the way in the previous chapter for this promise in our hearts are the dear words of Isaiah 25:8-9.

“He will swallow up death for all time,
And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.
And it will be said in that day,
‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’”

Our complete, flawless, perfect peace is propounded by a writer who only a few strokes prior wrote about the death of death, the end of tearful faces, the revoking of sin from all the earth, and the salvation of our God. This author knows his future.

Peace, peace. It is repeated in the original text to denote a completeness of perfection, an absolute flawlessness of experience. Full, undeniable peace is for those who have firm purpose and for those who possess trust in God. The experience of this “peace, peace” is qualified. It is freely accessible, but conditionally felt. It is to each one of us offered, though felt by those of whom these are true: the desire for faithfulness and trust.

“Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter,
The one that remains faithful.
The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.
-Isaiah 26:2-4, emphasis added

This peace was promised to those who would trust the Lord, who is the everlasting Rock. When life is slipping, He is solid and immovably God. Though our belief in Him is never fully perfected on this earth, our Rock can be the basis for our lives, in whom we place our trust. Though we fail, we can lean into Him who is unchangeable in each of His characteristics and all of His ways—into the One who is mighty and able to save us, yes, who has and will save us. This trust in our Rock promises the blessing of experiential peace.

This peace was also promised through faithful, righteous living. Though pure righteousness is not fully attained by any of us on this earth, we can yet have the firm purpose of righteousness. Though we fail, we can still set this as our dearly desired goal—that we follow His ways. We look ahead to that long-awaited, future day of fulfilled salvation in the new heavens and new earth. There, we can foresee our own perfection—that we will walk in pure fellowship with Him in all of our thoughts and actions. Seeing this beauty of living, we seek to steal as much of that righteous walking for here on earth saying, “Even this day of grief and tears, let me live for You.” Our faithful righteousness that comes from a desire to remain as relationally close to Him as possible promises the blessing of experiential peace.

For this future day we wait. For this we rejoice and are glad today. For our God is our salvation. He is our hope. His is our peace, peace. Set your heart upon His ways. Press into the Rock of your salvation—a salvation immovable that can never be cancelled—and know this peace that surpasses circumstances, even our worst. His promised, perfect peace is experienced by the heart righteously set upon closeness to Jesus, trusting in His mighty salvation. Yes, for that future day, which will end our sorrows, we long. Yet, from that day—from knowing our future is with Him—we grow hearts that are faithful and trusting now. In doing so, we gain everything we need for a present experience of perfect peace that abides even when our children go—all because God stays.

“Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus—this is rest.

Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found.
Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
In Jesus’ keeping, we are safe, and they.

Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.
Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.

It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus call us to heaven’s perfect peace.”

-Edward H. Bickersteth

---

Lianna (@liannadavis) is wed to Tyler and mom of two dear daughters. She is author of Made for a Different Land: Eternal Hope for Baby Loss (Hope Mommies, 2019). More of her writing can be found at her website.

We would be honored to share your story as a Hope Mom on our blog. On Saturdays we feature Hope Moms’ stories in order to showcase God’s faithfulness even in the midst of such deep sorrow. If you would like to have your story shared on our blog for this purpose, learn more and submit here.

---

Widget not in any sidebars

---