How dull we are when it comes to a realization of the love of Christ. We are like little children who watch the beautiful colors and dazzling lights in a priceless diamond, but know not its value. We have no conception of what it cost our Lord to purchase redemption for mankind. We know not His suffering. We shall never know the anguish that broke His heart as He hung on the Cross, deserted by all who had claimed to love Him.

The nails pierced His hands that He might put gifts into our hands. The thorns pierced His brow that we might wear a crown. He hung there and died that we might live with Him forever. He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Oh, that we might love Him more! that our love might be more pure and unselfish! It seems that He demands so little from us in comparison with what He has given to us.

Even a little turning of our love toward Him, and His heart responds to us and the warmth of His love sweeps over us like flaming billows. Even a little turning of our faces toward Him with determination to go on into all He has bought for us, and He hastens to meet us. How His heart is ravished by one glance of our eye, by the turning of our hearts and lives, our aims, purposes, and desires Christward.

Is it not strange that He loves us, when we are so unlovable and many times find it difficult to love one another? Is it not strange He trusts us when so many times we have proven untrustworthy? How He longs for our love to go out to Him and be for Him alone, and at the best, how puny and unstable our love for the Lord is.

Christ Yearns for the Love of His Own

No words can express how bright and beautiful in the eyes of Christ, are all the expressions and tokens of love which a devoted heart offers to Him. The praise and gratitude from the truly consecrated heart, the loss of friends and reputation for His dear sake, the persecution that comes from His name’s sake – are better than all good to Him who has suffered such pain for us.

It was that He might redeem the bride and have her love for Himself alone that He poured out His blood. He bought her with all that she is, and has a right to all the love that she can give. He paid a great price for her, even His own precious blood, and He paid this great price because He loved her with an everlasting love. The least she can do is to pour out her love and devotion at His feet, to give Him every token of her fidelity that a redeemed soul can give.

– Taken from the book Christ And His Bride by C. H. MacIlravy.

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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon