‘Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—in peace because they trust in you’ (Isaiah 26:3 NRSV), or more precisely, ‘Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee’ (RSV).
When we think about how we, and others are coping “psychologically” through these difficult times in isolation (a concept alien to Christians), Isaiah speaks a prophetic encouragement: ‘Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.’ But what does it mean to have our mind “stayed on God”? It means that we place our entire confidence in God. We lean our whole weight toward him, trusting that his everlasting arms will catch us. We commit into his gentle hands, all of our yesterdays. All of our failures. All of our sins. All of our regrets. All of our guilty record. We leave them all in his loving hands and forget them. St Paul teaches us to “forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13), because we know that we have been forgiven all things through the blood of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. We commit into his gentle hands, today. Tomorrow, today will be yesterday, and God will again, remember its failures and shortcomings no more. “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25), God tells us. Today, as yesterday, is a day of mercy and grace. We commit into his gentle hands, tomorrow. His mercies which are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23), will be just as new, just as sure, and just as all-sufficient tomorrow as they are today. His promises are sure. His compassion is relentless. Dear Saints, I know it’s easier to say than do. Our fragile nature is much more disposed to fear than to faith. But Jesus has promised to send us his “Comforter”. Applied literally, Jesus has promised to send us One who will always walk alongside us. His name is, Holy Spirit. He will strengthen and uphold us, and guide us through all our yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows, because the One who sent him is, “Jesus Christ [who] is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Lean on God. Stay your mind on him. Trust his mercy and grace. Amen. With love, Pastor Greg Thursday 16th April 2020.
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