Out of Love

God lives and works today. Those who have experienced His love are the happiest people in the world because His love makes us truly happy. But who is it that can experience His love? Perhaps you believe in God and know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, but you wonder, how can I really experience His love and love Him in return? Listen to the encouraging answer in today's meditation by Basilea Schlink.

A woman who attended one of our retreats here on Canaan wrote to us. All my life I've had a funny feeling about cleaning house on Friday. It just didn't seem right, but I didn't know why.

Now I see. That is the day of our Lord Jesus' suffering. From now on, Friday can never be housecleaning day.

That must be a day of quiet and prayer, a day which I give to my Lord. The housecleaning can well enough be done on other days. This simple example shows us a love for Jesus, a love that sees only Him, lives for Him alone.

Now, not everyone is called to postpone his Friday housecleaning, but love always finds its own unique way to express itself. Our love to Jesus must outstrip all human loves. Those who so love Jesus lose every thought of holding back something for themselves.

They are ready and willing to give up freely their possessions, their rights, their energy, their claims on other people, honor, love, time, or whatever it may be. For this love cannot but give Jesus everything it has, without compromise. It may mean life itself, as it later meant for Jesus' disciples.

It may mean the treasures of this world, or happiness. This love sees nothing but Jesus, and to love Him is all sufficient. Mary of Bethany lavished this kind of love on Jesus when she anointed Him, as Jesus said, for burial.

And how did Jesus respond to this? The ointment was costly. One normally used only a tiny bit of it at a time, but Mary poured the whole jar upon Jesus at once. The disciples protested that it was an extravagance, but Jesus didn't agree with them.

He prized such love highly. He found it precious. Yes, those who truly love Jesus cannot think of holding back something for themselves.

They are willing and ready to give Him everything that they have, without compromise. Jesus is waiting for such love today from those who follow Him. I have experienced that Jesus gives most richly to those who lavish upon Him a love that gives freely, indeed gives everything.

I have experienced that Jesus gives most richly to those who lavish upon Him a love that gives freely, indeed gives everything. If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address. God bless you.