Peace and Safety by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 3, 1902

Peace and Safety

By Editor

Editorial

Peace and Safety

Among the many beautiful descriptions of the experience of those who triumph over the curse by the power of the gospel is this one: “And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.” What a sense of peace and rest comes over us in the midst of a great forest! Who has not been refreshed in body and spirit by turning aside even for a few hours from heavy cares and wearing anxieties to commune with the trees of the forest? There is a voice in the rustling of the leaves and the sighing of the trees which speaks peace to a troubled soul. And how sweet is the rest, after a time of quiet meditation, which one enjoys when on some mossy bank he lies down to “sleep in the woods!” There is no place where the presence of God and communion with him seem more real than under the grand old trees of some ancient forest.

The River of Life

And the lesson of the woods seems to be greatly emphasized when we rest within sight or hearing of a flowing stream of water. The grand roar of a waterfall, or the quiet gurgle of the stream as it finds its way among the rocks, soothes the wearied nerves, and inspires a feeling of quiet trustfulness. But beyond what might be regarded as a mere sentiment is the actual fact. Every stream is a branch of God’s great river of life. Over every waterfall he is pouring the current of the spirit of life in liquid form. From the current of life thus made visible we can easily pass, by the aid of God’s word, to behold by faith the invisible current, and to become a channel for it. This was the lesson which Jesus taught “in the last day, the great day of the feast.” After the people had witnessed the ceremony of the pouring out of the water by the priests, “which commemorated the smiting of the rock in the wilderness,” they were startled by the cry of Jesus, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.” We lose the force and benefit of this teaching when we regard this expression as merely figurative. Its plain statement reveals to us the spiritual reality which our darkened minds have failed to perceive in the physical water. When our spiritual sight is restored, we shall be able to see the “pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,” even though we might not be able to splash it with our hands. On the other hand, in the light of the words of the Lord, we may now see in every stream of water the same current of life, even though we do handle it in buckets, and use it in the ordinary affairs of life. With the Lord, even what we regard as the “common, physical things” with which we deal in daily life are spiritual, and they may be so with us, if we will look at them with the eye of faith. The water which flowed for the children of Israel from the rock was just the same as is in the streams to-day, and was just as useful for quenching thirst and for purposes of cleansing, but we read that they “did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” With this lesson in our minds, every running stream of water is to us the visible teaching of the promise, “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” In the light of this teaching is not our frontispiece this week more than a mere picture to you? Does it not teach you the gospel of life and peace and rest?

“Blessed fount the purest known, Flowing, ever flowing! Stream of life from out God’s throne, Flowing, ever flowing!”