THE TRUE SUBJECTIVE

THE TRUE SUBJECTIVE

I think there would be something peculiar about one who had the Lord as his resource. I do not think that it could be known except as He is known, and then it would be the natural consequence. The eye finds naturally its resource in its head; there is no effort about it. If it sees anything the head is at once referred to concurrently with the seeing. If Christ is everything to me He must be my resource. As a rule Christians seek everything more than the true subjective. The true subjective is loving the Lord, and being in moral correspondence to Him. The church was to lose the candlestick because it had left first love, though the works were commendable. In reading the word or listening to it, according as I have capacity and true taste, I am delighted with it; but you will remark that the one who reads or hears the word with the sense that he is to correspond with it hears or reads as if he were depressed, because he is conscious at the time that if that word rules him he must come out in a new colour, and therefore he longs for prayer.

In my experience I have seen many start well surrendering for the Lord’s sake, who did not continue to do so, and the consequence was that they were, in a way, like a fir tree, the top shoot broken off, therefore no increase of growth though still alive. The Spirit in me is always working to concentrate me on Christ, and if Christ were dwelling in my heart everything would be determined by Him; and the better He is known the more He will be loved.

^[p. 34] I am not trying to think of Him. I am not like ———— occupying myself with my great devotedness or my own death, or reaching heaven. The only thought is “Whither thou goest, I will go” (Ruth 1: 16). I am controlled by Him. Many are attached to Him who are not controlled by Him.