Requested Arrest

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3

In Strong's one of the definitions for the word Stayed means: to lean upon.

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed (leaning) on You,

Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3

For me "leaning upon" someone is a very Biblical concept. I get the idea of it, but don't really have a connection to it in reality. Sure I lean on door-frames, walls, cabinets, but I rarely lean on another person. I don't have any reason to. 

So what does "leaning upon" the Lord look or feel like?

The other night I was at my Citizen's Police Academy class and we were learning about defensive tactics and the officers tools.

One of those tools were a pair of handcuffs and we got to watch as one of the training officers arrested another training officer. 

As the end of class neared, I asked Sergeant Joel, who was in charge of the class, if I could try the handcuffs on. He said I could and then asked if I just wanted to try them on or if I wanted to be arrested. With delight at the opportunity, I agreed to the arrest. 

Now you don't get arrested without drawing a crowd, so as I complied with Joel's instructions: put your hands on top of your head, spread your feet apart, look this way, etc. a group of my classmates gathered around to watch.

Once he'd completed the first part of the pat down (or frisk) and was finishing locking both of my hands in the cuffs, one of my classmates asked me: "So what's your anxiety level right now?"

This seemed like a strange question in light of the fact that I'd asked to be handcuffed and had agreed to be arrested, why would I be anxious? Still I just smiled and answered "None."

Now when my hands were secured behind my back, Joel finished the pat down by leaning me slightly backward. This puts the suspect (or me) off balance, so that the officer has full control of you while he pats down your pant legs.

When he finished, he stood me back up and took the cuffs off. 

That night as I was thinking about this experience the Lord brought Isaiah 26:3 back to mind.

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3

This verse suddenly came alive as I finally could understand what it meant to "lean upon" someone. 

My classmates question on my anxiety gave me a heightened awareness to how the arresting experience felt. So when Joel leaned me back, I was surprised by how completely secure and comfortable I felt in that seemingly vulnerable position.

When they lean you back they don't just dangle you precariously over the ground, they lean you back and support you on themselves. They're body is holding you up so that you don't fall down on the ground.

This experience not only brought "leaning upon" someone alive but it also dispelled the myth that "perfect peace" could not be had.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I read verses in the Bible and though I would never argue their truthfulness, I don't really expect them to be realized in my life. 

"Perfect peace" that just sounds too good to be true. Besides, I know how often I don't trust the Lord. If someone were to ask me at any given moment, what my anxiety level was I can tell you it wouldn't always be "none." 

Still, despite my imperfectness, "perfect peace" is possible and this experience proved it as it exposed all of my excuses as to why I struggle to trust the Lord.

It would be easier to trust the Lord if:

I could see Him and see what He was doing...

When Joel was arresting me, he was standing behind me. I couldn't see him or see what he was doing. If lack of sight is a recipe for fear, why wasn't I afraid?

If I knew what was going to happen next, so I could prepare myself better...

Joel told me what to do at the moment he wanted me to do it. He didn't give warning as to what was coming or what he was up to. 

If lack of knowledge is a recipe for fear, why wasn't I afraid?

If I didn't feel so trapped and out of control...

Hands locked behind my back, imbalanced stance, and leaning backward. If I had been so inclined to have struggled at this point, I would have very likely ended up on the floor! But the thought of trying to get up from this leaning position never crossed my mind.

If lack of control is a recipe for fear, why wasn't I afraid?

Perfect peace is possible, because it is possible to trust someone in these vulnerable circumstances. If I could trust Joel, an imperfect person who could easily make a mistake, how much more should I be able to trust the Lord, who is incapable of making a mistake? 

He's not just a strong arm we lean on like little old ladies crossing the street, He's like an arresting officer drawing us back to lean our full, out of control, weight on Himself. 

When I told my brother I'd been "arrested" at class he asked how I got away? I explained to him that I'd asked to be handcuffed, and that I wasn't really a criminal, I just wanted to be arrested. 

In just the same way, the Lord doesn't arrest us, we willingly give our lives to Him. I have willingly chosen to surrender myself to His complete control. 

Why should I have had any anxiety at being arrested? I'd asked to be put in that position.

Why should I have any anxiety over leaning upon the Lord? I've asked to be put in this position.

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3