Shalom

Isaiah 26:3-4

New International Version (NIV)

³ You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
⁴ Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

A simple verse, yet when unpacked gives great assurance. 

The promise is the ability to maintain perfect peace. The Hebrew word for keep means to preserve or guard. The idea is more of God protecting and ensuring this peace within us.  

The phrase 'perfect peace' is actually the word Shalowm(shalom). This Hebrew word is defined as "completeness, soundness, wellness and peace". This is wholeness, a wellness in the state of our mind, rather than the absence of war between nations. 

As is often the case, the promise requires something of us. To have this peace our minds must be steadfast. What does this mean?

The word minds is the Hebrew word Yetser. This word actually is defined as "purpose or intent". This isn't about our thoughts per se, but on the intent of our life. I love this word, because there is such grace behind it. 

What should be our intent? To be steadfast. Steadfast in Hebrew is Camak and is defined as "to lean, lay, rest, uphold". This image changes the meaning for me, especially when you read the next verse about the Lord being the Rock eternal. How easy then to picture our task of resting or leaning upon him, the Rock. 

To sum it up, when we trust in God, that he is the Rock, and our intent is to lean on his strength, resting against him, then he promises to not only to calm our minds and give us wholeness, but to preserve and protect it.