Thou art the Peacemaker. Yea, Thou art the Peace: as it is written,
receiving the Father's testimony to Thee. We have heard Thy voice, telling us of this life, and all its blessedness; putting to our lips the vessel containing it, that we might know both Thy love and the nearness of the proffered gift. We take the gift, so earnestly and so sincerely pressed upon us; and as those whose portion was death, we accept the blessed exchange, and enter into life through Thee, the living One, the Son of the living God. Thou art the tree of life; and under Thy shadow I sit down to eat Thy pleasant fruit. Thou art the bread of life; and on Thee would I daily feed, as Israel on their morning manna. Thou art the water of life; and of Thee would I drink every hour and moment, that I may thirst no more, and yet thirst for ever!
6. I see in Thee my Peace
Thou art the Peacemaker. Yea, Thou art the Peace: as it is written, He hath made peace by the blood of His cross; He is our peace; and Thy name is the 'Son of peace' (Luke 10:6), the 'Lord of peace' (2 Tim. 3:16), the 'Prince of peace' (Isa. 9:6). There was distance between God and me, there was variance, nay, enmity; but Thou hast removed these, and the quarrel is at an end for ever. Thy blood speaketh peace to me, and it keeps my soul in peace. When sin comes in, and threatens to break it up, I betake myself to Thee. I go back to the place where I found it at first, and I find it there again. The cross stands immoveable. The value of the blood never changes: it is always able to do the same thing for us to the end that it did at first; and to those who accept God's testimony to that blood, all its value belongs, unfailing and unchangeable. The value of that blood is my security for abiding peace. Were its value less than divine, my peace would be both imperfect and insecure. To-day it might be peace, tomorrow disquietude and doubt; to-day nearness, to-morrow distance. But the value of the blood is infinite, and avails for ever for all who stand not aloof from it, or undervalue its efficacy. Our peaceoffering has been offered once for all, and its efficacy is everlasting. We have not to present, a new peace-offering for ourselves of any kind whatever,—the peace-offering of our prayers, or tears, or