Perfect Peace – Isaiah 26:1-4

One of the most jarring aspects of the covid-19 pandemic is the absolute absence of defense that there is against a virus.  It is an enemy that you can only hope to hide from or outrun, because if you face it you will be defeated.  Some church people have stood against it believing that God will not permit it to conquer them, only to be infected.  What does it mean to trust in Him with regard to this virus?  Can we have perfect peace in the face of this enemy?

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.  Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.  (Isaiah 26:1-4 ESV)

The strength, in part, of a city in biblical times, was its wall and massive gates.  When enemies threatened, the gates were shut and the walls manned with warriors.  But in that future kingdom day Judah will say, “We don’t need walls or gates.  In fact, open the gates, because God’s salvation is our security and only righteous people will enter here.”

We are not in the kingdom.  We have the promise of it, as Israel did, and we pray for it to come as Jesus taught us.  Is God a strong city for us now?  Can we have perfect peace now?

For those who know God there is the security that nothing that happens in our lives is outside His control and purpose for our good.  If He allows us to suffer harm or even death, His salvation guarantees our ultimate safety.  As Paul says, we can rejoice in our sufferings because we know God is using them to make us like Jesus (Romans 5:3; 8:28,29).  And we know that what we suffer now will be more than compensated for in the kingdom (Romans 8:18).

So what if the covid virus wins the day in our lives, or some other disease or bodily failure?  When we keep our hearts and minds focused on Him and the reality of God’s purpose and presence in our lives, it keeps us in perfect peace.  God is the rock who can be trusted forever.

Discussion Questions

1. What is your safe space, the place, person, setting in which you feel most secure?
2. What does the promise of utter safety in the kingdom mean to you?
3. How has God shown Himself to be your strong city?
4. How have you experienced staying your mind on God in times of trouble?
5. What do you need to trust God with in your life currently?
6. Would you want to memorize verse 3: You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.