This is such a precious verse at all times but even more so when we are facing the coronavirus and all the uncertainties it brings with it! What caught my eye this morning, though, was that it is our hearts and minds that are guarded by this peace. Why does Paul call those out when he is focusing on anxiety? First, let's look at those terms:
- The heart in Scripture is the center of our inner lives - it’s where our feelings, emotions, desires and passions live, the place of understanding and reflection, the seat of our will, the source of our resolves.
- The mind often refers to thoughts that proceed from the heart.
- Anxiety simply means “care,” or “concern.”
Clearly Paul is not telling us in the passage that we should be care-less. There are things that it is right for us to care about and to be concerned for - what kind of parents wouldn’t be concerned about their kids’ well-being? Rather, I think Paul is telling us that we are not to take all the load and all the burden of any particular concern upon ourselves, and leave God out of it - as though it were within our control to fix every issue that comes our way.
What happens to us when we forget about God and assume the whole responsibility to resolve a problem? First, it takes over our thoughts as we fret - turning the matter over and over and looking for a way forward or a way out. Then as often as not we begin to feel badly for ourselves or for someone else - perhaps we get mad because of injustice being done. Then sinful passions begin to flare up. Our whole being gets besieged and overrun with thoughts and feelings about this issue. We stop thinking about the Lord and the blessings of our salvation in Jesus and give ourselves over to worry. In other words, we have surrendered our hearts and minds not to the Lord but to an invading, hostile army.
Did you notice how I started to use military language to describe this situation? That’s because the word “guard” in the passage is a military term - there is a way that we can know our hearts and minds being guarded as by a military garrison. And it is the peace of God that supplies the garrison! I agree with those who take this word “peace” to mean His salvation - peace with God, certainly but more than that - the final and complete salvation of our whole beings through Christ! This truly surpasses all understanding!
We may know this peace, says Paul, when we take our cares to the Lord by “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” - turning them over to Him. We may know it when we acknowledge honestly before Him that it’s too much for us to bear it all - that even the attempt to do so is full of pride, full of self and is therefore really an offence to Him, because He cares so much for us and doesn’t want us to be overpowered with anxiety! What do we find when we share our burden of care with our omnipotent and sympathetic King? Peace!
I just noticed the little phrase that is tied to this whole thought but is separated from it by a non-inspired verse number - “The Lord is at hand”. He is not far away and unconcerned with us - He is near and He cares. All we have to do is pray!
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.
