His Presence Brings Comfort and Peace: The Blessings of Walking with the Master

We cannot buy peace of mind nor continual comfort of body or soul. Neither can we muster up in our own power a clear conscience or rid ourselves of our sin and depravity. This is why our souls are “living their best life” when we share an interest in Christ’s love and the unsearchable riches of Jesus. He clears the guilty conscience, strengthens the saint to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel and loves us with an everlasting love. There is no love like His love – free, unchangeable and incomprehensible. And He beckons all to come – as unlovely as we are. Our hearts are not invisible to the Lord Jesus and He loves us still. It is a wonder that He offers eternal life to those who have dishonored Him the greatest. In our ridiculous ways we put Him to death again and again. And Thomas Brooks tells us: “The high way to comfort is to seek comfort less, and duty more. Set your mind on what you should do more than on what you would like to have.” And Jesus tells us in Him is perfect peace – not as the world gives. It only arrives by His Hands.  
   
Living in His presence, power, pleasure and peace, we take up our “cross” and follow the Master - just as He did when He walked this dusty earth - seeking to embrace with joy what He allows - as He chooses what He uses in the lives of His heirs of mercy. Nothing is by chance or happenstance but perfectly ordered by a loving God Who always, always has our best interest at heart. Knowing this in the core of our beings helps prevent our whining and complaining and flat out “fit pitching” when things do not go our ways or our lives become too hard to take. He always remains faithful and loving through every changing circumstance or horror in the truly horrific – even though it perhaps eclipses our understanding, He ever remains faithful to His promises and loving toward all He has made. Learning to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer is the mark of a mature saint and, BTW, it is what Scripture calls each of us to. This is accomplished always through His power and for His glory and for our good – never one surpassing the other.

The saints will travel through many hardships on their journeys to heaven. This has been promised to us by our Lord Jesus. We live in a fallen and broken world of our own choosing. Yet, Jesus has prepared us in advance with His Words in John 16:33 (NIV): “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Indeed, He has overcome the world. We serve a victorious Master. And we are to be trusting in Him moment by moment to sustain and empower us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus. And He will never let the righteous fall.