His Trustworthiness

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer for Peace in the No-Matter-What’s of Life


     You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. Isa. 26:3-4     Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7      Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:1      Dear heavenly Father, you haven’t promised us a storm-less, hassle-free, disappointment-empty life. You offer us no formulas for decreasing the probability of sad things happening around us or disillusioning things happening to us. But you have promised something that transcends the predictable unpredictability of life. You’ve promised to keep us in perfect peace, in the midst of whatever happens.
     So when we’re out of bootstraps to pull up, formulas that don’t work, and vain attempts at fixing the unfixable, you are there—with us and for us. Thank you for being a Father who will never forget or abandon your children—who will never forget or abandon me. Thank you that you don’t roll your eyes at us when we’re weak; you don’t shame us when we’re faltering; you don’t despise us when we doubt. Thank you for being the God who is working all things together after the counsel of your will—who is working in all things for the good of those who love you…
     Father, your promise is even greater; you’ve promised to keep us in perfect peace—a peace perfectly suited for the moment, madness, or whatever. Our calling is to mine the riches of the gospel and keep in mind the wonders of your love; for you are the Lord—the eternal Rock that is higher than us, the Rock of refuge, the Rock of ages. Our calling is to trust in the “it is done” of Jesus—to collapse of Christ even when we don’t have the energy to throw ourselves on him.
     Father, indeed, it’s freeing and comforting to know you’re not calling us to trust in our ability to trust, but to trust you—in your trustworthiness, not in ours. For a peace that passes, surpasses, and at times even bypasses all understanding, we give you praise. For your promise to keep us in peace, anchor us by hope, strengthen us in grace, we honor and worship you. How great are your mercies, how profound your kindnesses, how lavish your love. So very Amen we pray in the trustworthy name of Jesus—the Prince of Peace.