The Hartford herald., 1922-09-27

tell of His actlNi-
ties on their behalf.
I. Jehovah bless thee" You can
not explain that word. bless" 1t
breathes itself into the soul like
rare perfume, but you cannot tell
what II is. 1t touches he weary life
like tender mothers hand and lifts
II up into rest and strength. You
know by sweet experience what II Is.
but you cannot define ii. II is the
heart OF God disclosed. II embraces
all other elements found in this bene-
diction: the keeping. the shining face
graCiOuSuess. the uplifted countenance,
the gift of peace. That is Ills bless
ing. Who that has beheld the cross
has seen the Well-Beluved hanging
there, can question what that great
heart holds for him? "Ilc that spared
not his own Son, but delivered Him
UP for US all, how shall lie not with
Him freely give us all things?' oh,
let rs magnify that. word '".hlcss."' -----
.. jehovah make his face shine
upon thee" If His blessing reveals
Not afar of. but nigh. DO not think
Of Him as far away in heaven. veiled
away In His own eternity, unknown
and UnknOwabie. There is no distance.
aye who sometime wece far OF are
made nigh by the blood of Christ" In
that place OF nearness, His face shines.
What JOY 10 know that the face from
which heaven aud earth shall flee away
and that is against them that do evil.
is shining upon those in whose midst
He dweIls.
3. Jehovah lift up his countenance
upon thee" Frequently have the Lords
people been heard to say that He has
hidden His face from them. 1t can
not be! For He who looks upon Hi,
beloved Son with unchanging delight
sees you and me ever in Him and
cannot turn away from us. If there
be hiding, It is you who are doing
it, not lie. The clouds that obscure
the sun do not come from the sun.
4. The lord be gracious unto thee.
This attitude explains all else. His
grace is His Kindness tn the unde-
serving. Grace is not frame of mind
or a 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 it ana because He
desires We should do so, comes the
salutation: "Grace he unto You"
But not only in His attitude but
in His activities on our behalf do we
see how all Ills heart is occupied for
us.
I. Jehovah keep thee. This is our
assurance and our security that He
who is gracious keeps us for His own
"Kept by the power of God" "Je-
hOyah is thy keeper" says the Psalm
list, and they are safe indeed whom
lie keeps But not alone as His own
possession. 1Ie will keep that life
in all its daily affairs rs though you
were Ills only child and His solitary
care. Jehovah keep thee" That i'm
plies what Scripture elsewhere en-
phaslzes and what every hour of your
experience has proved: that you can
not keep yourself. Il am not being
put to shame" says the apostle, for
he is able to keep that which
| have committed unto him" Not my
soul only, but my daily life. . soul.
if lie is not keeping thee, thou art be-
ing pat to shame. Every manifestation
of the flesh puts you to shame. Every
impatient word, every unworthy deed
puts you To shame. He can keep you
and lie will if you but give Him
chance. Turn that life owes to Him
and see what lie can make ont of II,
see how he can Keep it in holy
triumph and joy
>. 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 he unto
you;" last thing in Ills valedictory:
"Peaco leave with YOU HE IL
Our peace" q soul, anxious, care
worn, tossed ami driven, fold this
blessing Of God to thy poor heart His
own ii'tiNf - i'i AbNi piff,'iii pbsSCS-
sion lie desires YOU To have H.
Have you seen the full significance
Of this blessing? The divine name Oc-
ours three times. and three Is the
number OF the GOd-head. sum of all
divine fuilness. 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 MS and for MS. ard all that we
may be blessed. Oh. who would live
nm unblest l.fe? Who would be 50
miserablei Give me this blessing Of
God and am rich indeed. My heaven
has begun with lis holiness and its
Joy