A. B. Simpson - Devotional
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Days of Heaven on Earth
"Lovest thou me?" the Master asks of each disciple. He expects our
first and highest love for Himself, personally, and He has a right to
it. More than all our service, more than all our work to build up a
cause, He desires our personal devotion to Him. Mary's gift was
precious because it was personal. Ye have the poor with you always; but me ye have not always
(Mark 14:7), was His tender suggestion of a danger which defeats His
purpose-our being more occupied with the work of Christ than with
Christ Himself.
We need the love of Christ in order to fit us for His work. Nothing
else will give it its true aim and center; nothing else will sustain us
amid its pressures.
When Jesus was about to send Simon to take care of His flock, He did
not ask Him, "Lovest thou my sheep and my lambs?" He asked, "Lovest
thou me?" Mere love for people will not enable us to be true to them;
but love for Christ will give us a reflected love for others that will
enable us to touch them for Him and to bless them as our direct touch
never could.
Scripture
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments—1 John 5:2
