If there is one thing this war weary world desires more than any other it is PEACE, but the "way of peace have they not known." In approximately five years since cessation of hostilities of the last great world war the status has been little better than an armed truce, and that broken by incidents of violence and bloodshed. There has been the conquest of all of China by the communist forces; war in Indonesia; civil war in Indo-China; war in Palestine between Jews and Arabs, between Israel and Egypt, between Israel and Trans Jordan; the nations of Central and Southern Europe adjoining or in close proximity to Russia have been seized by that voracious power and made its vassals; troubles in and about Berlin; troubles in many places. And today the whole world is an armed camp, the like of which has never been known before. It is like a powder keg with fuses attached in all directions. As one after another of these fuses becomes ignited the world awaits anxiously to see if the burning fuse will go out or eventually explode the whole keg, thus enveloping the world in another giant catastrophe.
The hostilities began in Korea in June, and it would be folly to predict how far they will yet go. When a fire breaks out there is no telling how much will be destroyed before it is put out. One thing we as Christians need ever to keep before us is that our Father is still supreme and He is overruling all from behind the scenes, and that not one thing can happen without His permission. He may hold back the powers of darkness a little longer, for His people are still in this scene and He cares for them. And yet He may see that it is necessary to allow certain troubles to wean the hearts of His own from this poor world. As bad as this world is, there is always a tendency for Christians to settle down here, and to forget that we are but strangers and pilgrims in it. We become influenced by its ways and its philosophy, and forget that it is stained with the blood of Him who bought us for Himself, of Him whom we love.
In the measure in which we settle down here we forget to watch and wait for our Lord from heaven. This blessed, separating, sanctifying hope becomes obscured by things of sight and sense. This ought not to be. It is strange that we should need to have our hearts forced out of this world by adverse circumstances rather than to have them drawn out by Him who is not here. Much rather we should have our hearts so attached to Him that we would long to see Him face to face, that we should watch day by day for Himself. This was the hope that was placed before the Church in the earliest days, but it was soon forgotten and the world became more attractive. And do we not need to judge ourselves for failure to live in real affectionate hope of His coming?
As for the world, it is hastening onward to destruction as surely as the water above the falls is rushing on to its mad dash over the precipice. The world wants peace, but not God's peace. The "Prince of Peace" came into this world and was cast out; how can men achieve peace which is lasting and real? They would not want to have God interfere with their ways in order to have peace; they would rather have the world with its wars and turmoil than that. They are like the prodigal who said, "Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me"; he wanted the benefits which the father's goods would secure, but did not want the father's company. Satan is the god and prince of the world, and men like it that way. He is blinding and deluding people with "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." Even the thought of giving up the pleasures and attractions of the world and living only for God and enjoying His company would be intolerable to the unsaved.
May we who are saved bless God that He has opened our blind eyes to see beauty in the Lord Jesus—whom the world cast out—and to enjoy communion with Himself. It is only His grace that has made us any different from those around us. We at one time saw "no beauty [in Him] that we should desire Him." And it is to our shame that the fleeting things of this corrupt scene ever come between our souls and our Savior.
"The night is far spent, and the day is at hand,
No sign to be looked for; the Star's in the sky;
Rejoice then ye saints, 'tis your Lord's own command;
Rejoice, for the coming of Jesus draws nigh.
"What a day will that be, when the Savior appears!
How welcome to those who have shared in His cross!
A crown incorruptible then will be theirs,
A rich compensation for suff'ring and loss.
"What is loss in this world, when compared to that day -To the glory that then will from heaven be revealed? The Savior is coming,' His people may say;
'The Lord whom we look for, our Sun and our Shield.'
"Oh pardon us, Lord, that our love to Thy name
Is so faint, with so much our affections to move!
Our coldness might fill us with grief and with shame, So much to be loved, and so little to love.
"Oh kindle within us a holy desire
Like that which was found in Thy people of old, Who tasted Thy love, and whose hearts were on fire, While they waited, in patience, Thy face to behold."