Adoration: The Love of the Firstborn

The Love of the Firstborn Our Father, we love Thee with all our hearts for Thy matchless love in giving up Thine only-begotten Son for us. Thou wast ever well-pleased with Him. Thou hast delighted in Him and He in Thee. Yet for our sakes, for the sake of miserable puny beings, whom Thou mightest have swept away in a moment, Thou didst give Him that He might take upon Him our nature; that having taken our nature He might be Thy servant, and might carry out His obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. We find it very hard to see our children suffer, and if they are taken from us by death, our hearts are broken. Yet didst Thou, infinitely loving Father, give Thine only-begotten Son that He might die, and that we might live through Him. Oh, if we have a spark of love toward Thee, may Thy Holy Spirit now fan it to flame. And since the First-born has made us brethren, and is Himself the Firstborn among many brethren, may that same love which is in the heart of the Firstborn be in the hearts of the younger brotherhood, that we may all love Thee, O Father, even as Jesus loves Thee, and Thou lovest Him. Amen.