September 19

Murderers can kill only once, but by meditating on his miseries a man kills himself a thousand times over, as often as the fear of death steals into his mind.

Once the Christian wears this armor called "the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15) his soul is prepared for both danger and death. He sits at the feast which God in His providence has now given him and thoroughly enjoys it with no fear of a messenger of bad news knocking at the door. He can even talk about his dying hour and not spoil a crumb of his joy, as carnal men assume it must. To them the mere mention of death in the course of their "normal" interchange is like the wet cloth that Hazael slapped on to a king's face. The very shock of the subject scatters all the pleasant thoughts which may have dominated the conversation only minutes before.

On the other hand, the saint whose heart is prepared never tastes more sweetness in the comforts of life than when he dips these morsels into meditations of death and eternity. It causes him no more grief to think of losing his life, than it does to have the first serving of food taken away to make room for the main course. David, for example, was so little tied to this world that he could declare "I will fear no evil"-- even in the "valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4).

And what about Peter? Did he know the secret of peace or not? He slept calmly, bound "between two soldiers" in a prison on the night before Herod "would have brought him forth" to his execution. And while these are certainly not the usual conditions for rest, he was so sound asleep that the angel had to strike him on the side to wake him (Acts 12:6). I seriously question whether Herod himself slept as well that evening as his prisoner did! No doubt this "preparation of the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15) brought Peter to such divine rest. Because he was ready to die he was able to sleep.

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