BRINGING THE MASTER BACK
Psalms 147:1-5, Psalms 147:14-18
Whenever our Lord Jesus comes back, there’ll be peace in the world’s borders, and not before. “He maketh wars to cease.” The hurt of the earth will be healed. The tangle of the world will be smoothed out. The bitterness and bickerings will stop, and the hot fires of hate and self-seeking be put out. The earth will yield unprecedented harvests. We can hasten the glad day by letting him reign in our lives in today’s common round.
THE MASTER MUSICIAN
Mark 5:1-15
When Jesus takes command he brings peace. The storms must cease—storms of passion and temper. The prisoner is set free. His chains are broken—chains of selfishness and anxiety. Jesus’ clear voice rings out, “Peace, be still,” and there’s a great calm. Like the sweet cadences of music runs the phrase through the Book, “fear not.” Let us put Jesus in command, and obey him fully, and we shall know an inner quiet, greater even than the word “peace” expresses.
KEEPING IN TUNE
Mark 4:35-41
Rhythm of sound is music. Rhythm of color is beauty. Rhythm of action is peace and power. Peace within, deep as the sea, still as the stars, fragrant as locust blossoms in May, as undisturbable as the everlasting hills. Jesus made peace by the Cross. We find peace as we stay in full rhythmic touch with him. Let’s keep in step with Jesus. Then we shall know the inner music of peace, and others will feel the fragrant touch of power.
RIVAL GARDENERS
Matthew 13:24-30
Evil, like weeds, grows rank and fast without cultivation, we think. But it isn’t so. There’s another gardener, a special, unseen gardener for evil. He sows, and waters, and cultivates, and tries to weed out the good. He’s an old hand at gardening. He stays up nights, watching for chances. We must fight him. The best way is to get our crop in first; weed and work it sleeplessly. The best work in this garden is done down on your knees.
GARDENS AND GARDENERS
1Peter 2:1-5; 2Peter 3:14-18
The Bible is a garden book. There’s one at the beginning, a better one at the end, and the Gethsemane garden in between. Everyman should be a gardener, and his life the garden. There’s sowing and sunshine, dew- fall and rain, and special watering in dry spells. Then there’s weeding, watching for hurtful insects, and pruning, a cutting back to get better fruit. Let’s be good gardeners, with the Man of Gethsemane to help.
