Peace.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in Jehovah forever; for in Jehovah, even Jehovah, is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4

     We have a precious promise from God, that if we set our minds upon Him in faith, we will be kept in perfect peace. His word assures us that God is an everlasting rock, a place of safety for all those who seek shelter in Him from the storms of life. This peace however, will only fill our hearts and minds as we trust Him. 

     We often come to God with our cares and burdens, but like Peter walking on the water, we take our eyes off of Christ, and instead, we focus on our circumstance and begin to sink. This verse makes the point that we must keep our focus on Christ and not our problems if we would have peace. The Apostle Paul writes, 

In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

     As the hymn states, "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer." 

     This peace is a peace that goes beyond our understanding. How can we be filled with a calm, with peace, when things seem to be falling apart all around us? The answer is found in God our rock, and by putting our confidence in Him.

A Patient Trust.

     My soul, wait thou in silence for God only; For my expectation is from him.
     He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my high tower; I shall not be moved.
     With God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
                                          Psalm 62:5-7

     It can be difficult to wait in silence for God when in the midst of difficult circumstances. We tend to want to do things our way, and in our own time. 
     We can learn a lesson from the life of Abram. The promise of an heir seemed our of reach, so at Sarai's urging, he took Hagar, his wife's servant, and she conceived and bore him Ishmael. However he was not to be the child of the promise. By taking matters into their own hands, instead of trusting in God, they faced some unwelcome consequences to their actions (Genesis 16:1-15, 21:8-21).
     True faith is a faith that endures, even in silence, when it seems that God is not doing anything. If we hold fast, we will see the salvation of the Lord. He is indeed a rock and a high tower of defense for those who wait for Him.