DIVINE LOVE ENSURES SUITABILITY TO ITSELF

^[p. 209] DIVINE LOVE ENSURES SUITABILITY TO ITSELF

... I did not require your bountiful gift to be assured of your love. I believe in it! The greatest gift would be very small without it! No gift can exhaust divine love. Divine love rejoices when we do not want anything, as we read, I will rest in my love; I will rejoice over thee with singing. I am learning that divine love is beyond — infinitely beyond human love. This we seek, even your perfection. Divine love ensures perfect suitability to itself, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, and this, in order that we might live together (or in co-partnership) with Him, everything to ensure having “part with me”. As His love is assured to our hearts, we love Him. If we love little, it is because we are not assured that we are loved much. The only way to increase your love for Him is to be more fully assured of His for you. When His love controls us we follow Him, as Ruth followed Naomi. Then the heart rejoices in union with Him, and in union your individuality is merged in Him. His interests are now your interests. This is the effect of realising union with Him in heaven. If you were asked your destination — what are you destined for on the earth by God? — what answer would you give? You are destined to be a Rebekah to be brought to a greater than Isaac. Rebekah was ready to be conducted to Isaac — a wonderful calling or destiny, even while down here. This is the teaching of Ephesians. Had ever any one such a prospect here as a Christian? Great are the joys which are only known in union with Christ. An entirely new circle of interest is opened out to you, as there was to Rebekah when she joined Isaac. Who can conceive the joy and blessedness of realising union with Christ? You then begin to live for His interests. We first learn His interest in us — -how He loved us and gave Himself for us; but when we realise our union with Him by the Spirit, we know His love that passeth knowledge. As a member of His body you are here only for Him. I can understand the apostle’s desire (Ephesians 3) that all men might see the mystery. It is inconceivably grand that Christ’s body should be on this earth, and that you and I should be really members of His body — of His order, life and nature. I should like to talk of these great things with you. To think that Christ’s interest should be our interest, and that it is really our interest because we are part of Him!