Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-08-09
ties on their behalf.

3AE~AAM III His people and
tell Of His activi-
ties on their behalf.
1. Jehovah bless thee" You can
| not explain that word, "bless." It
breathes itself into the soul like a
rare perfume. but you cannot tell
what 1t Is. It touches the weary life
like tender mothers hand and lifts
1t up into rest and strength. You
know by sweet experience what It is,
but you cannot define it. 1t is the
heart Of God disclosed. 1t embraces
all other elements found In this bene-
diction; the keeping, the shining face,
gracfousness, the uplifted countenance,
the gift Of peace. That is His bless
ing Who that has beheld the cross
! has seen the Well.Beloved hanging
! there, can question what that great
heart holds for him2 "He that spared
not his own Son, but delivered Him
up for US all, how shall He not with
Him freely give us all things7" Oh,
let us magnify that word, "bless."
2. Jehovah make his face shine
upon thee" IF His blessing reveals
His heart this discovers His nearness.
Not afar off, but nigh. Do not think
or Him as fur away in heaven, yelled
away IN His own eternity, unknown
and unknowable. There Is no distance.
"Ye who sometime were far off are
made nigh by the blood Of Christ" In
that place Of nearpess, His face shines.
What JOY to know that the face from
which heaven and earth shall flee away
and that Is against them that do evil.
is shining upon those in whose midst
He dwells.
=. Jehovah lift up his countenance
upon thee" Frequently have the Lords
! people been heard to say that He has
1 hidden His face from them. It cnn-
not be- For He who looks upon His
beloved Son with unchanglng delight
sees you and me ever In Him and
! cannot turn away from us. If there
be hiding, 1t is you who are doing
1t, NOT He. The clouds that obscure
the sun do not come from the sun.
4. The Lord he gracious unto thee.
This attitude explains all else. His
! grace Is His Kindness to the unde-
serving. <Grace Is not frame Of mind
or state Of soul, but the attitude Of
God. "By grace are ye saved' and
over and over again, because we are
so slow to believe 1t and because He
desires we should do so, comes the
salutation: "Grace be unto you."
But not only In His attitude but
In His activities on our behalf do we
see how all His heart Is occupied for
| us.
/. Jehovah keep thee. This Is our
assurance and our security that He
who is gracious keeps us for Ills own.
"Kept by the power of God" "Je-
hovah is thy keeper" says the Psalm.
ist, and they are safe indeed whom
He keeps. But not alone as His own
possession. He will keep that life
in all Its daily affairs rs though you
were His only child and Els solitary
care "Jehovah keep thee" That I'M
plies what Scripture elsewhere en-
phasizes and what every hour Of your
experience has proved: that you cam
not keep yourself. II am not being
put to shame" says the apostle, "for
he is able to keep that which
I have committed unto him." Not my
soul only, but my daily life. o soul,
If He Is not keeping thee, thou art be-
ing put to shame. Every manifestation
Of the flesh puts you to shame. Every
impatient word, every unworthy deed
puts you to shame. lie can keep you
and He will If you but give Him a
chance. Turn that life over to Him
md see what He can make out Of it,
see how He can keep it in holy
triumph and Joy.
2. The last element-last sweet,
lingering strain Of the anthem-is
peace. Jehovah give thee peace" In
all the wide universe, In all the
tongues that men have spoken, there
is no greater word. First salutation
Of the Risen Christ, "Peace be unto
you;" last thing in His valcdictory {:
"Peace leave with YOU" "He Is
our peace" o soul, anxious, care
worn, tossed and driven, fold this
blessing Of God to thy poor heart. His
own peace is for your present posses
sion. He desires you to have it.
Have you seen the full significance
Of this blessing2 The divine name oc-
ours three times, and three Is the
number OF the God-head, sum Of all
divine fullness The connection Of the
three Persons with the three parts of
the blessing can be easily traced. All
that God Is Is thus engaged for us
Father, Son and Holy Spirit occupied
with US and for us, and oil that we
may be blessed. Oh, who would live
an unblest life? Who would be SC
miserable? Give me this blessing OF
God and am rich indeed. MY heaven