PURPOSE TO SERVE

PURPOSE TO SERVE

I rejoice that you have a desire and, I trust, more purpose of heart to be useful to the Lord’s own. It is the purpose which, like the leading shoot to the spruce fir tree, determines and insures the harmonious growth of all the branches; thus every duty will be like branches to a well-garnished tree, proving your vitality on every side. This purpose cannot have force or stability unless the love to the saints proceeds from love to Christ Himself. “Lovest thou me? ... feed my sheep” (John 21: 16); but more than this - I must know His love to myself before I can be the expression of it to others; and my expression must necessarily come short of what I know; but yet it is in the toil and occupation of expressing it that I deepen in myself the sense of the love in Him to myself, which works in me the toil and interest for others. Hence, not only is it said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13: 17) (that is, in washing one another’s feet I realise the blessed service rendered to myself), but it is added in John 15: 10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love”; here it is acting for Him, and while the acting is simply for Him, there is a close observance of His injunctions. Devotedness cares only to please Him, it is not occupied with exploits. This trait you find especially exemplified in women in the Scriptures. The women ministered to Him; they stood by His cross; they prepared spices; they watched for and first saw His resurrection. They occupy the place of personal devotedness. As some one has said, they have more affection, men more energy. To my mind, they fill a place in service which men can never render.