​March 1

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus — Phil. 4:7.
 
It is not our own peace that is here referred to. It is the peace of God—the peace which comes to us from a realization of God's power and goodness and willingness to hold us by His right hand as His children. The thought is that this peace stands guard continually, as a sentinel, to challenge every hostile or worrying thought or fear. It keeps the Christian's mind so that he at heart has peace with the Lord, fellowship, communion; and it guards his mind also, his reasoning faculties, instructing him and assuring him respecting the Divine power and wisdom and love—Z '03, 8 (R 3128).
 
The peace of God is that rest of heart and mind which results from consciousness of harmony with God and God's arrangements. Its being maintained and ruling in the heart amid conditions untoward to the natural man make it surpass all human understanding, and through Christ's office, it guards heart and mind, both from evil and amid and unto good—P '34, 31.
 
Parallel passages: John 14:1, 27; 16:33; Rom. 5:1; 8:6; Col. 1:20; 3:15; Job 34:29; Psa. 4:8; 25:12, 13; 29:11; 85:8; 119:165; 125:1, 5; Prov. 3:17, 24; Isa. 26:3; 28:12; 32:2, 17, 18; 53:5; 54:13; 57:1, 2, 19; Jer. 33:6; Luke 1:79; 2:14; Acts 10:36.

Hymns: 108, 54, 106, 107, 109, 179, 244.
Poems of Dawn, 303: Daylight and Darkness.
Tower Reading: Z '11, 397 (R 4898).

Questions: Have I this week had this peace? What helped or hindered it? How did I use it? What resulted from it?

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DAYLIGHT AND DARKNESS

I PRAYED to God in the morning,
"Thy yoke is easy, Lord,
And light indeed is Thy burden,
And crystal clear is Thy word,
And I am ready for service,
Whatever Thou wilt," I said,
As blithely I started forward,
The pathway bright ahead.

The night came down with its darkness,
And long indeed was the road,
And I was tired and weary,
And fainting beneath my load.
I lost the words of His promise,
And none of my work was done.
I cried aloud for the daylight,
For a smooth road, and the sun.

Then a voice came out of the shadows,
The voice of my unseen Friend:
"Lo, I am with you always,
Even unto the end."
It took the night and its darkness,
And a long road, rough and dim,
And the faithful care of my Shepherd,
To bring me close to Him.

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