“You will keep in perfect peace all who fill and fix their thoughts on you” (Isa. 26:3)
Dear Jesus, you haven’t promised us a storm-less, hassle-free, disappointment-empty life. But you have promised something that transcends our fears, vulnerability, and hurts. You promise to keep us in perfect peace in the midst of anything and everything.
Hallelujah for your keeping power, Jesus. We’re prone to wander, but you’re more prone and successful at reeling us in and bringing us back to where we belong—in vital intimacy with yourself. We can never lose our relationship with you, but we can, most definitely, lose the sweetness and nourishment of fellowship with you.
But your promise is even grander than a commitment to keep us all the way Home. You promise to keep us in perfect peace—not in semi, partial, or wanna-be peace. Jesus, you give us a peace that passes, surpasses, and even by-passes our ability to make sense of things (Phil.4:7). Hallelujah, and thank you.
All we have to do is mine the riches of the Gospel and keep in mind the wonders of your love. Indeed, help us think primarily about filling and fixing our thoughts on you, Jesus—not merely on our favorite verses, praise songs and hymns, and theology books. These good gifts are conduits of your truth, goodness, and beauty—but it is you we want to know better and better all the way Home (Phil.3:10-11).
Today, tomorrow, and forever, Jesus, bring us back (or bring us into) this glorious state of heart: “Whom or what do I have in heaven but you, Jesus? You make heaven ‘heavenly.’ And being with you, there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you” (Paraphrase of Ps.73:25). So Very Amen.