The Balance between Perfect Peace and Perfect Teeth

“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.” (Isaiah 26:1-3)

I was looking back over my journal and the last time I read this passage was August 9, 2009. We were on a lake in Tennessee with Janet’s parents. I had my morning devotions through this section and I wrote, “I love this passage. In the midst of judgments and anticipated attacks, comes a calm remove. We must remember who is here with us. He is the one who is guiding us to perfect peace as we keep our minds on Him, even in the midst of turmoil. He is telling the story and I can’t wait to see the next page that He directs.”

Well, what happened next had every ability to be a tragedy. A cable broke that was pulling my sweet wife behind a pontoon boat and flew at her head. At first, with blood all over her face, we could not see where it had hit her. As we pulled her in we saw several teeth were missing and a gash was on her lips, but she was actually fine. (She had more peace than we did at that moment, and I was the one who read the passage earlier!)

My point in all of this is that the words by Isaiah were true before the accident and after the accident. These words were also true when the people of Judah read them in the midst of their lives being shaken. It might not change our circumstances, but it has every potential to change our perspectives and our hearts.

Tips for Reading - (Observation tip # 10)

Note: This section is help for Bible Reading in general. It has been building throughout the year under the topics of Observation (what the Scripture says), Interpretation (what it means) and Application (what it means to your life). Feel free to look back over past weeks to get the whole picture.

I am going to take a break from the 6 W’s for a week and give one assignment: memorize the Ten Commandments. A recent survey asked Americans what is the standard to judge good behavior. Most responded the Ten Commandments. The follow up question was to list as many of the Ten Commandments they knew. Most people could only get about four correct.

I think it is good to know the Decalogue, or ten words as the people we have been studying knew them. By the way, notice the first four laws are between God and man, and the last six are between man and man. How many other observations can you make about the ten?

Notes from David’s Journal

Read closely Isaiah 35. It’s a terrific chapter in God’s Word. It is a promise from God to His people that even though they are in captivity, going through tough times, there is a future and hope. Look at some of God’s expressions for Israel’s land that becomes barren because they are taken away and cannot dress, till or keep it.

-vs. 1: Even in this wilderness a blossom of crocuses will bloom!

-vs. 2: An abundance of flowers will bloom again, causing singing and joy!

-vs. 3: The good news of new growth will strengthen with hope tired hands and weak knees.

-vs. 4: It will make all say, “Be strong and don’t be afraid. God is working!”

-vs. 5: The blind will see. The deaf will hear

-vs. 6: The lame will leap. Those who can’t speak will SING!!

-vs. 7: Parched ground will become filled with water.

-vs. 8: People will become holy, not evil.

-vs. 9: No animal predators will lurk on the highways.

-vs. 10: The people will come back to the land singing with everlasting joy!

What’s the message? With God, our future is always filled with HOPE.