“Grace and Peace Be Multiplied”
THEN Christ gives increasing peace even as He gives increasing grace. The world can give peace only in the midst of quiet. But God gives peace in tribulation, in persecution, in trial. The stream of life, righteousness, and peace, which floweth “as a river” (Isa. 48:18), “which passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7), is from above, and its mighty current can be cut off only by our own unbelief; it can not be turned aside by the world. In Christ we have peace; in the world, tribulation. John 16:33. Before He went away He said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27. The strife and turmoil of the world need not destroy the peace of him who has cast all into the great, loving arms of an infinite Saviour. The world may even end our present life; it can not destroy us. He is Lord of life and death. He can save us from it if He will. He can save us out of it and in spite of it, if that pleases Him best. Men may wrong us; we may rest in the assurance that God will make all things right. “Let us have peace in Him, perfect peace;” for “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee.” Isa. 26:3. This is the assurance of the Christian; this is what God will do.