Expositions of Holy Scripture: Ephesians; Epistles of St. Peter and St. JohnMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: Ephesians; Epistles of St. Peter and St. John
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible. Ephesians -- Commentaries; Bible. Epistle of John, 1st -- Commentaries; Bible. Peter -- Commentaries
These two bring peace with God, peace in our inmost spirits, the peace
of self-annihilation and submission, the peace of obedience, the peace
of ceasing from our own works, and entering, therefore, into the rest of
God. Trust is peace. There is no tranquillity like that of feeling 'I am
not responsible for this: He is; and I rest myself on Him.'
Love is peace. There is no rest for our hearts but on the bosom of some
one that is dear to us, and in whom we can confide. But ah, brother!
every tree in which the dove nestles is felled down sooner or later, and
the nest torn to pieces, and the bird flies away. But if we turn
ourselves to the undying Christ, the perpetual revelation of the eternal
God, then, then our love and our faith will bring us rest. There will be
peace in trusting Him whom we never can trust and be put to shame. There
will be peace in loving Him who is more than worthy of and able to repay
the deep and perennial love of all hearts.
Self-surrender is peace. It is our wills that trouble us. Disturbance
comes, not from without, but from within. When the will bows, when I
say, 'Be it then as Thou wilt,' when in faith and love I cease to
strive, to murmur, to rebel, to repine, and enter into His loving
purposes, then there is peace.
Obedience is peace. To recognise a great will that is sovereign, and to
bow myself to it, not because it is sovereign, but because it is sweet,
and sweet because I love it, and love Him whose it is--that is peace.
And then, whatever may be outward circumstances, there shall be 'peace
subsisting at the heart of endless agitation'; and deep in my soul I may
be tranquil, though all about me may be the hurly-burly of the storm.
The Christian peace is an armed peace, paradoxical as it appears; and
according to the great word of the Apostle, is a sentry which garrisons
the beleaguered heart and mind, surrounded by many foes, and keeps them
in Christ Jesus.
'There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked,' he is 'as a troubled
sea which cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt'; but over the
wildest commotion one Voice, low, gentle, omnipotent, says: 'Peace! be
still!' and the heart quiets itself, though there may be a ground
swell, and the weather clears. He is your peace, trust Him, love Him,
and you cannot but possess the 'peace of God which passeth
understanding.'
THE WIDE RANGE OF GOD'S GRACE
'Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity.'--Eph. vi. 24.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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