The gayest crowds cannot quite disturb the brooding peace which is like the promise of sleep and rest at sunset.”
–Max Brand (Harrigan)
“LORD, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works in us.”
–Isaiah 26:12 (NKJV)
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Do you have peace regarding the elections next week? If you are a Christian you should have. Let me ask another question. Does the man and the message have to always be the same? Of course they should, but we must remember that man is sinful; he has a sin nature and is fallen, while God’s truth is absolute, infallible and pure. Just one quick example: a bloody man, an adulterer, and a man who set up another for death was also a man after God’s own heart–David.
One thing for sure, there will be a new President come Wednesday. For good or bad, for better or worse, things will change. The times, the issues, the situation, however, will not change, but how they will be met will be. Peace? There will be no peace on earth, but in the heart of the believer it should be paramount. Peace? There will be many, no matter who wins the election that will not have peace, but will be in turmoil. But I reiterate, a Christian should be at peace no matter the outcome.
Isaiah, that wonderful prophet of warning and woe, of prophecy and promise proclaims, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (26:3, NKJV). Perfect peace, or literally “peace, peace.” Vine states, “The peace possessed is not the outcome of mere self-determination, it is ministered by the keeping power of the Lord Himself.” Look again, and we quickly see the problem if a person does not have peace. If there is no peace in the soul, it is most likely because, one, they are not Christians, and two, if Christian, their mind is not “stayed” or focused on the Lord and he lacks trust. The mind is all a’tither with the election, with the “what now” that they may be facing rather than focusing on the One who has the answers to the “what nows.” Someone has described peace as being free from disturbance within the soul in times of trouble. If that is a sufficient definition, then why is the soul troubled?
I recall the words of Jesus, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1, NKJV) He continues with this concept when He says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NKJV). So I ask again, Do you have peace, and if not, why not?
Perhaps it is because you do not trust Him completely. That is the second issue; those without peace do not have the proper focus, and they do not trust in God. Isaiah continues in verse 4, “Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.” (NKJV) You want strength to face this world, then trust in God. You want strength to see you through the day, then trust in the Lord. He is there! I cannot emphasize that enough in my writings–He is there! Trust is a simple, yet powerful term. Part of trusting, according to Vine, is “staying your mind upon Him.” My peace, I leave with you, if you trust in Me, if your mind is focused on Me. In these turbulent times who/what do you trust? If death is looming do you turn to the government or to the Prince of peace? When the doctor says there is no hope, in what then do you trust? When the market crashes, when the money is gone, when the the wolf comes knocking at your door–where are the bureaucrats? No, there is something better, more secure, trust in the Lord.
Since we are entering the holiday (holy day) season, the words given to the shepherds on that first Christmas Eve should be part of our makeup etched in our hearts as we walk with the Lord. We often render it wrongly, but the ESV translates it this way, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke
2:14). The HCSB, “peace to people He favors”; the NIV is very similar. The NASB puts it this way, “peace among people with whom He is pleased!” If you want to have peace, then get in God’s favor, please Him, focus on Him and do not worry about the outcome of the election or any other event in your life. God’s peace, His strength that comes from trusting Him is sufficient for any and every situation.