Gold Nugget 260 - The Prize of Life
What is that thing which is most worth having, most worth the thought of our minds, the strenuous striving of our soul, the labour of our hands? Nations, communities, individual men, have given different replies.
One has said ease, another wealth, another pleasure, another power, another glory. The inspired Hebrew said peace. The blessing he invoked on those he loved, and that which he lauded in speech and song, was peace. And he was right. Peace is the indispensable and the immeasurably precious thing.
It is a profound blessing. It goes down to the depth of our compound nature; it is the excellent result of complete rightness – rightness of heart with God, rightness of life with man. It is a lasting thing. Other prizes may be snatched away by untoward circumstances, or their worth dims and lessens with the passing years, or even … with the fleeting days. But this abides; prosperity does not injure it, adversity does not remove it, age does not diminish its excellency. …
We can serve our race in higher and greater things without the other prizes of life, but not without this. Not until our hearts have found rest in God’s truth and in himself can we be and say and do that which will guide the feet of our fellow-men into and along the paths of righteousness and wisdom.
The Pulpit Commentary, Isaiah II p.323, Isaiah 55:13
Gold Nugget 260
The Prize of Life
