Here is the happiness of a child of God.

Posted : 16 Sep, 2013 06:02 AM

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love Your law, and nothing shall offend them.





Here is the happiness of a child of God summed up in one

word-peace. Looked at with an eye of sense, slighted by the

world, and often chastened with "the rod of affliction," he is an

object of pity. But look at him with the eye of faith-he loves the

law of his God, and his heritage is peace. Every feature of the

covenant bears some resemblance to its nature; full of grace,

peace, and love. Two of the agents are fitly represented by

the lamb and the dove-emblems of peace. The tendency of its

principles "is first pure," "then peaceable." Its present

enjoyment and privilege is peace-great peace. Its end will be

universal, eternal peace.

Christian! have you not discovered the connection of peace

with love for the law-the whole revealed will of God? Looking

at it as the law of truth-was not its disturbance of your peace

of self-satisfaction and self-delusion the first step to the attainment of solid peace? You learned to see yourself as

God sees you. Every fresh view humbled you more deeply.

Your dissatisfaction exercised you in an anxious and diligent

search for true peace. And then, looking at it again as the "law

of faith"-here is your ground of peace laid open. Your way to

God is clear-your acceptance free-your confidence assuredyour communion heavenly. "Being justified by faith, you have

peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;" yes-you are

"filled with peace, all peace in believing." And have you not

equal reason to love this law, as a law of obedience? Here is

your question answered-"Lord! what will You have me to do?"

Let "this word dwell in you richly in all wisdom;" and it will be

your daily directory of life and conduct. You will "delight in it

after the inner man." Walking in the light of it, you will go on to

the full enjoyment of peace. "Taking" cheerfully your Savior's

"yoke upon you, and learning of Him, you will" ever "find rest

unto your soul." "All His paths are peace."

Professor! what do you lose by your indulged indifference to

the law of God? Conscience tells you, that you are a stranger

to this peace-this great peace. A secret root of idolatry

cankers the principles of peace. Notions will not bring it.

Nothing but vital godliness-the love for God's law-"the truth

received in the love of it"-will realize the blessing.

Young Christian! be not disheartened, though your love to the

law be so weak, interrupted, clouded, that sometimes you fear

that you have no love at all. Do you not mourn over its

coldness? Do you not desire to love? Seek to know more of

the constraining influence of the love of Christ. If your chariotwheels now, like those of the Egyptians, drive heavily, you will

then move, like the chariots in the prophet's vision, "upon

wheels and upon wings." At least you are on the way to

peace. Stir up the habit of diligent faith; be active-be more

earnest in dependence on the Lord. Soon will He visit you with

His cheering sunshine, and bless you with His heavenly peace. "The Lord is your shepherd:" and dwelling near the

shepherd's tent, "you shall not want." Nothing comes to you

without His appointment; and whatever He takes away was

only what He had first given, and leaves you nothing but to

say-"Blessed be the name of the Lord!" Whatever He lays

upon you is infinitely less than you deserve, and with the

fatherly design "to do you good at the latter end." Whatever

He gives you is peace, great peace-"perfect peace:" and

though at best, as to its actual enjoyment, it is only a

chequered gift, linked with "this world's tribulation;" yet, as the

earnest of that "peace into which the righteous shall enter,

when taken away from the evil to come," it is an incalculable

blessing.

The steadfastness of our profession is a most important fruit

of this blessing- Nothing shall offend them. The daily cross,

the humbling doctrine, the fiery trial-which, by offending the

professor, detect the unsoundness of his heart- these are the

principles of strength and consolation to the faithful lover of

God's law. Those "had no root in themselves," who were

stumbled by "tribulation or persecution." Hence there was no

love in their hearts; consequently no peace in their

experience, and no stability in their course. The frequency of

such cases in a day of profession is a most painful subject of

observation. A course of religion, commenced under the

impulse of momentary excitement, is like a "reed shaken by

the wind." The first breath of the storm beats down all

resolutions, that were not formed upon the conviction of utter

helplessness, and in entire dependence upon Divine grace.

Light without love ends in fearful ruin. Genuine love to the law

alone keeps the soul-a love of no common character-a

devoted, persevering attachment. The claim of the law is

above every other. Everything-even life itself-if need be-must

be sacrificed for it. And when it has been thus embraced on a

fair calculation of its cost, from a deep sense of its value, and with a spiritual perception of its character and application to

our necessities-there will be no stumbling-block.

Indeed genuine love will prove our safeguard against all

grounds of offence. The doctrine of the total depravity of man

is objected to: but love to the law of God, molding our minds

into its heavenly impression-will remove all ground of offence.

The pride of man's wisdom revolts from the doctrine of the

cross, and the freeness of the grace of God. But we love it as

a part of the law of faith. It suits our case. It answers our need,

and therefore here also nothing offends us. Thus, whatever be

the hindrance-whether from Satan or himself-whether from the

enmity of the world, or the inconsistencies of the church-the

believer, while he mourns over these things, is not offended at

them, or at the Gospel through them. He has learned a more

Scriptural standard, and to exercise a more discriminating

judgment. Love to the law of God enables him, instead of

being "tossed to and fro" in doubtful perplexity, to "make

straight paths for his feet." If his cross be grievous, he seeks

from the Lord a quiet spirit; and thus, "in patience possessing

his soul," he finds "the yoke easy, and the burden light." His

difficulties exercise and strengthen his faith, and add fresh

testimony to the faithfulness of the promise. Whether

therefore his way be dark or light, his soul is at peace. In the

enjoyment of his Savior's love, he has the witness in his own

heart, that "the work of righteousness"-of love to the law of his

God-"shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness

quietness and assurance forever."



by

Charles Bridges

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