THE JOY OF FINDING IN THE HOLIEST THE ONE WHO IS NOT HERE

^[p. 31] THE JOY OF FINDING IN THE HOLIEST THE ONE WHO IS NOT HERE

I rejoice that you have happy remembrances of your little time in L————. When we remember that Christ is our life, it is sad how much we can enjoy apart from Him. We do not intend to give Him up, but like the bride in Song of Songs 5, we “sleep” — we are not in the activity of life!

Last Sunday morning a brother read from John 20: 11, a few verses. It is very affecting the way Mary Magdalene learns the Lord. He does not resume association on natural grounds. To the natural eye He is not here; He is seen by the spiritual eye in the assembly. May we feel more fully and deeply that He is not here, and consequently know the deep joy of seeing Him in the Holiest. The more truly we accept that we are in the place of His rejection, the more shall we seek Him in the sphere of His exaltation. He was our Saviour on the earth; He is our Priest in heaven. Many never get beyond the Saviour; they do not enjoy association with Him in the blessedness of His nearness to God.

I feel I ought not to look for anything where Christ died and was rejected, but that I can look for everything where my Lord is in glory.

The great desire and satisfaction of affection is company. If your heart is really set on the Lord, nothing can satisfy you but His company. “They left all and followed him”. How could I enjoy union if I did not value companionship? We must learn Hebrews before Ephesians.