Peace Peace

You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].” ‭‭📖 Isaiah‬ ‭26.3‬ ‭AMP‬

In Black culture, it’s a common form of expression to repeat an adjective as a form of emphasis. Them: How cold was it? You: Cold cold.

In this verse, the phrase, “perfect and constant peace,” comes from the Hebrew translation, shalowm shalowm (a double repeating of the Hebrew word for peace, שָׁלוֹם). The literal translation from Hebrew thus turns out to be “peace peace” — a Hebrew idiom denoting emphasis.

What kind of peace is the prophet Isaiah promising from God? Peace peace! It’s a peace that only God can give and expects us to have because He gave it, and we need it. It’s deep peace, a true peace. This shalowm peace is a peace not from the absence of chaos or troubling circumstances, it’s the peace that comes from God’s presence with us in it, and in every situation.

The world is desperately looking for peace in all of the wrong places. It’s why we self-medicate with all of the wrong things that can’t fill or satisfy us. But I’m learning that it’s also a peace that we only get when Jesus is the center of our life.

When we move ourselves out of the way, our agendas, our controlling, our pride, our fears — all of us. When Jesus is the center and priority of our lives, then we can fully access the peace that God promises.

Peace is not the absence of chaos. Peace is God’s presence with us.

A good practical application of this is to simply invite God into your day, into your circumstance, and even into your mess. God never promises that we won’t have troubles. In fact, He tells us the opposite in that we will have troubles (John 16.33). But the game changer is that He promises to be with us (Hebrews 13.5, Isaiah 41.10, Matthew 28.20).

Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.] 📖 John 14.27