The Pillow of Peace

The still waters in Psalm 23 speak of a serenity of heart. This is not necessarily about peaceful circumstances but about peace and calmness of heart, regardless of the circumstances. Do we remember the wonderful passage in Isaiah 26:3? " You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You." It doesn't say: "You will lead him into a peaceful environment." Rather, the point is that we can be at perfect peace in the midst of circumstances in which everything seems to be against us.

The Lord Jesus himself is an example of this. Let us think of the event that took place on the Sea of Galilee when a great storm arose. The winds blew, and the waves beat with all their might against the small boat in which He was traveling, and it seemed as if it would be broken and smashed by the raging storm wind. Everyone in the boat - though experienced sailors - was panic-stricken, all except one, and "he was in the stem, asleep on a pillow" (Mark 4:38). Why didn't the disciples simply stretch out at His side and share in the peace that filled His heart? They woke Him from His sleep - and with a word, He silenced the raging waves beneath His feet, just as a man calls his dog to heel. Yet these disciples were as safe in the storm as when a great calm settled on the lake, and there was no reason why they should not have shared in His peace.

The Lord can give His peace into our hearts, but we will need a "pillow" to lay our head on; otherwise, we cannot enjoy the peace. What "pillow" did Jesus have on which He could lay His head? It was the pillow of His Father's unchanging love.

He knew that the reins were firmly in His hand. The wild, raging waves were under His control, and in the assurance of His Father's unchanging love, He could rest, and He gave us that same love for us to rest on.