Shalom Shalom

"(3) You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. Because he trusts in You. (4) Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength."
                                                                                            Isaiah 26:3-4.  NKJV

In the Hebrew, repetition communicates intensity, therefore the term isn't just Shalom, but Shalom Shalom, which means perfect peace.

There is an important clause here in verse 3. It says, that the Lord shall keeps us in perfect peace - WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON YOU! In the New Living Translation, it reads, 'whose thoughts are fixed on You.' It is God's intention that we remain not only in peace, but in perfect peace - nothing missing, nothing broken. He wants us to live and try to make our world a better place to live in. How? By blessing people, not by cursing them with criticisms and judging all that people do.

However, for us to live in perfect peace, we must keep our focus by keeping our minds stayed upon God. We must have our thoughts fixed on Him. If we say that we do this, or intend to do in the future and then begin to worry when something goes wrong, or when a large bill drops on the mat, then we are not keeping our thoughts fixed on Him; we're not living in perfect peace. In fact, we're fooling ourselves.

Jesus told us not to worry (Matthew 6:31) but to trust in God, who will supply our needs and take care of us. If we believe this and live this way, we're living in perfect peace. If not, then really we are disobeying Jesus because He told us not to worry.

Are you the type of person who tries to help God? You know, you pray to Him about something and instead of leaving it with Him, you try to manufacture things, to make it happen. God doesn't need your help. He's pretty good at sorting things out; far better than we could ever be.

All He wants you to do, is live in perfect peace - shalom shalom. Many Jewish people greet each other with this phrase. They bless who they greet by giving them health, happiness, well-being and peace. Why not try it yourself, the next time you have contact with a Christian brother or sister. Say to them shalom shalom and bless them with:

The Lord bless you and keep you,

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you,

The Lord lift up His countenance

upon you, and give you peace. shalom shalom

                     Number 7:24-26

So keep your thoughts fixed on Him - all of them. Cast any problems or burden upon Him and trust Him. Then be filled with shalom shalom - perfect peace.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com