"Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee.”
Precious promise! It is a great thing to be "at peace" in a world where there is no peace. "Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain." How vivid the picture these, words draw of what is going on around us day after day in a world which by wisdom knew not God, and where the restless, unsatisfied heart vainly seeks happiness outside of Him in whose presence alone it can be found! The cross is the one place where we can acquaint ourselves with Him, "and be at peace." Have you done so, dear reader?
"Oh, God! if there be a God, reveal Thyself to me!" was the cry out of the darkness in which questions and doubts had plunged a would-be infidel. He was on his way down to the country to visit his estates some years ago. He had written a book to try to convince a friend of his folly in believing in Christianity. Before sending it to press he sat down to read it again. Having read it, he asked himself: "Were I a believer in Christ, would such arguments upset my faith? No, they would not." Throwing himself on his knees, he cried thus to God: "Oh, God! if there be a God, reveal Thyself to me!”
God heard; God answered; and he rose from his knees a changed man. Instead of publishing his book, this man was converted to the faith he had once sought to destroy.
Not only so, but he went forth into the world to tell out to others the grace of that Savior-God who had met him, and blessed him with the knowledge of Himself in so signal a manner. "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3).
Continuing his journey, he reached his estates; and there he learned that a number of his tenants had been making his conversion a subject of special prayer.
Again I would ask any who may read these lines, Have you made acquaintance with God? Are you at peace? If still in darkness, may light be yet your portion! Jesus says, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:1212Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)). Perhaps some may ask, "How can I find Him-the Light?" He also says, "I am the door"; "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
"Why 'neath the load of your sins do ye toil? Christ giveth rest, giveth rest.”
That peace, that rest-they are beyond price; neither you nor I could ever buy them. The One who gives this peaceful rest bought it. No words can tell what it cost Him, for He "made peace by the blood of His cross." "He laid down His life for us" (1 John 3:1616Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:16)), is the language in which the Spirit of God tells out the depth of that love —a deep that has no sounding.