Scripture: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” – Isaiah 26:3
Examination of Chapter: Isaiah writes about the justice and righteousness of God in the majority of the chapter. He states that God will eventually judge the wicked for their sins and destroy them, while exalting those who have placed their trust in Him. In the conclusion of the chapter, Isaiah also refers to a resurrection of those who have trusted in the Lord.
Application: One thing about an extended camping vacation is that eventually something will go wrong. It could be a flat tire, a broken water pipe in the trailer, taking a wrong turn… you name it, and it could happen. The big problem for me is that I tend to get really anxious when these types of things happen. The questions start zinging about in my mind.
“What if we run out of gas?”
“What if we can’t fix…?”
“What if…?” “What if…?” “What if…?”
The interesting thing is that in nearly 50 years of traveling around with my husband, he’s managed to fix everything that has ever been a problem. I recall one time when we were camping in Glacier National Park, he needed to cut some boards to better fit in the truck that was pulling our camping trailer. So what did he do? He pulled out an electric Skillsaw and cut the board to make a perfect platform for the truck. Another time, we had a small water leak around our camper’s toilet. He promptly drove to the nearest Camping World, bought a new toilet, and installed it when we got back to the campground. So now, troubles on the road don’t seem so monumental, and I don’t fret nearly as much as I used to in the past. I trust my husband completely to take care of me, to keep me safe, and to keep us rolling along!
My Christian life is just like that. When I face challenges, when things go wrong, when I struggle, I begin to worry.
“What should I do?”
“How can I fix this?”
“What if I can’t?”
In the heat of the moment, I forget one very important truth in my life. In nearly 60 years of being a Christian, God has taken care of every single problem in my life. He’s never been caught off guard; He’s never shook His head trying to find a solution, and He’s never left me on my own to figure things out. I can truly echo Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Once I remember that, my anxiety level drops drastically. 1 Peter 5:7 reminds me, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
I trust my husband because throughout all the years he’s been faithful in caring for me. He has never once let me down. His faithfulness in the past proves he’ll be faithful to me in the same manner in the future.
This is the same with God. He has been faithful to me throughout all the years, so I know He will continue to be the same with me in the future. Hebrews 13:8 assures me of this truth, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” It’s good to cast all my cares upon the One who can handle them all!
Moments with God: My dearest heavenly Father, thank You for being so faithful. You are truly the same yesterday, today, and forever, and for that I am so grateful. Forgive me for trying to handle things on my own when You want me to share all my worries and concerns with You, and then rest in the knowledge that You can take care of every care I have. Grow my faith in You for the little things as well as the big. Help me to remember that you, O God, are faithful. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.