Active
The Lord Jesus’ peace in this scene was a wonderful thing. I note there are two truths which, as they are known, impart to us this peace. The first is seeing Him by faith in the place where he is, where He has prepared a place for us. In a place of evil and sorrow like this, it is an immense lever, lifting us above these influences, to be assured that the One who loved us, and gave Himself for us on the earth, has prepared a place for us in heaven, and that He is in the place that He has prepared.
It throws the heart peculiarly into concert with the holiest and brightest scenes (as with one’s home), because the delight of the heart is there, and everything suited to it is in the place. If He, the Object for the heart, were not there, the heart would not be there; and if the surroundings were not holy and beautiful, there would be suffering from even our personal appreciation of Him, and not unbroken enjoyment of being in His presence.
To enjoy His society and fellowship, there must be nothing to distract or interrupt. I enjoy His love here but partially, where so many things arise every moment to interrupt me, be they evil, sorrow or natural pleasure. I may be much attracted, but yet I am interrupted. The heart is not restful until it is associated with its object. Surroundings are necessary, not merely for comfort’s sake, but that there might be nothing to make one anxious or disquieted.
You seek it with your friend; you draw round the fire in the winter evening, the cold is excluded, the lamp is lighted, the darkness forbidden, the door is closed. There is thus no interruption. The seclusion suits you, and the sense of home is known to the heart. You must say to your heart, amid the din of strife here, and the chaos of everything morally, “I see my Savior where He is, and where He has a place for me”; this gives the heart superiority over this place; and thus you are so far in His peace.
The other truth is, that He manifests Himself to us in the place of evil and sorrow. This gives strength to the heart, as the former gives repose to it. You require both strength and repose in order to be in His path here. When He manifests Himself—a wonderful favor—you feel as if He were beside you. “The Lord stood with me” (2 Tim 4:17). What could ruffle me when He as a great tower, is beside me? “The righteous run into it, and is safe” (Pro 18:10).
You have the greatest and most loving Companion even where you are the weakest and can really do nothing; and you follow Him by faith where He has prepared a place for you, where you have nothing to do but to enjoy His company, without a hindrance. If you would know that He has a place for you in the Father’s house, reckon upon the fact—“hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).
If you would that He should manifest Himself to you, keep His words (John 14:21); and thus you arrive at His peace. Your roots are in heaven, but your branches are on earth. Here, He is the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. When the roots are in heaven, the branches are sure to be according to His Word; and hence He manifestly protects and fosters what is His own, and for Himself. “My peace I give unto you.”
- J B Stoney
Excerpt from MJS devotional for August 15:
“When our Lord takes us down into an area of processing and trial it seems as though He deliberately takes away our understanding, and we often react as though we had never gone through anything before. One of His reasons for this is that we may receive the full effect and benefit of the child-training.” - MJS
“We should give our consent to our Father when He seeks to lead us through devastating processes. And we need have no fear, for He knows how to apportion our suffering. He exactly matches the suffering to our condition. He measures all things with unfailing accuracy and selects the particular trial suited to our particular need.” – G W
None But The Hungry Heart
It throws the heart peculiarly into concert with the holiest and brightest scenes (as with one’s home), because the delight of the heart is there, and everything suited to it is in the place. If He, the Object for the heart, were not there, the heart would not be there; and if the surroundings were not holy and beautiful, there would be suffering from even our personal appreciation of Him, and not unbroken enjoyment of being in His presence.
To enjoy His society and fellowship, there must be nothing to distract or interrupt. I enjoy His love here but partially, where so many things arise every moment to interrupt me, be they evil, sorrow or natural pleasure. I may be much attracted, but yet I am interrupted. The heart is not restful until it is associated with its object. Surroundings are necessary, not merely for comfort’s sake, but that there might be nothing to make one anxious or disquieted.
You seek it with your friend; you draw round the fire in the winter evening, the cold is excluded, the lamp is lighted, the darkness forbidden, the door is closed. There is thus no interruption. The seclusion suits you, and the sense of home is known to the heart. You must say to your heart, amid the din of strife here, and the chaos of everything morally, “I see my Savior where He is, and where He has a place for me”; this gives the heart superiority over this place; and thus you are so far in His peace.
The other truth is, that He manifests Himself to us in the place of evil and sorrow. This gives strength to the heart, as the former gives repose to it. You require both strength and repose in order to be in His path here. When He manifests Himself—a wonderful favor—you feel as if He were beside you. “The Lord stood with me” (2 Tim 4:17). What could ruffle me when He as a great tower, is beside me? “The righteous run into it, and is safe” (Pro 18:10).
You have the greatest and most loving Companion even where you are the weakest and can really do nothing; and you follow Him by faith where He has prepared a place for you, where you have nothing to do but to enjoy His company, without a hindrance. If you would know that He has a place for you in the Father’s house, reckon upon the fact—“hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).
If you would that He should manifest Himself to you, keep His words (John 14:21); and thus you arrive at His peace. Your roots are in heaven, but your branches are on earth. Here, He is the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. When the roots are in heaven, the branches are sure to be according to His Word; and hence He manifestly protects and fosters what is His own, and for Himself. “My peace I give unto you.”
- J B Stoney
Excerpt from MJS devotional for August 15:
“When our Lord takes us down into an area of processing and trial it seems as though He deliberately takes away our understanding, and we often react as though we had never gone through anything before. One of His reasons for this is that we may receive the full effect and benefit of the child-training.” - MJS
“We should give our consent to our Father when He seeks to lead us through devastating processes. And we need have no fear, for He knows how to apportion our suffering. He exactly matches the suffering to our condition. He measures all things with unfailing accuracy and selects the particular trial suited to our particular need.” – G W
None But The Hungry Heart