STAGES OF OUR SPIRITUAL HISTORY

^[p. 47] STAGES OF OUR SPIRITUAL HISTORY

I think I understand you as to the church apprehending the Lord’s sense of its beauty to Him. You get the idea in the Canticles, “There is no spot in thee”, as also, “I am my beloved’s”. The more I dwell on our relations to Christ, the more I am assured that there are three great stages in our history.

First, we love Him because of the service which He has rendered to us, as Jonathan loved David, and the mark of this stage is that we want to serve Him by giving.

The second is the love I have formed for Him personally, because I have found resource in His company. You could not love any one personally if you were not in that person’s company, as Ruth to Naomi. Shewn in Song of Songs 3: 4. Then it is not merely giving Him your property, but you give yourself to Him. You own you belong to Him. You follow Him.

Thirdly, you are united to Him. If you were not fit to be His companion, you could not be united to Him. This when known as a fact leads you (in the sense of an irrefragable bond) into concert with Him in all His interests, which you never can have until you are in the assured sense of being united to Him, and then you see you are far beyond espousal, if you understand me. The Lord lead You out boldly for Himself.