THE STANDARD

L.A.Barlow

John 2: 1,2; 9,10; Ephesians 5: 28-33

An occasion like this would impress us with the detailed consideration that God has in relation to each of us. It reminds us of the second chapter of Genesis, God taking account of the man that He had made, assessing his need and setting Himself to meet it. May we have a deeper sense of the blessedness of the God with whom we have to do, able to assess our individual need even before we may understand it for ourselves; and in wonderful grace setting out to meet God desires to bless men abundantly, but He intends to do it as securing His rightful place amongst them. Our brother has spoken of the conditions around us. It is sobering to read the scriptures in Matthew's gospel that refer to marriage feasts because connected with each is a certain solemn touch. The Lord speaks about the king, a type of God, who invited persons to a marriage feast and they started to make excuses, their land and their commerce was more important than having part in the greatest things that he had to offer. One person who did go into that marriage feast went in on his own terms without having on the wedding garment provided. Later on in that gospel the Lord Jesus refers to the coming of the Son of man and likens it to the days of Noe when they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. What is common to each reference is that God is left out of men's calculations. What He has provided and what He offers in Christ on high and the power and presence of the Spirit here is despised and rejected; it is alas the days in which we live. What an encouragement it is therefore that John's gospel was written for our day too, and that our beloved young brother and sister have determined that the Lord should have a part in this day - a day that rightly is marked for them by natural joy. Our desires would surely be that as they have started is the way in which they may find grace to continue; that is to say, providing every opportunity for the Lord Jesus to come in. It is not that He has to come; the blessed part is that He loves to come to His own. All through John's gospel you have these movements of this blessed Man; and whilst it is a book that is marked by what is immensely profound, yet it is full of beautiful touches of His love. The Lord never delays, though He may wait as He did on the occasion of the death of Lazarus, but that only brought out the glory and divine sympathy of the Person who was there: it says "Jesus wept". On another occasion as He was leaving His own, He looked round upon them and seeing their countenances were downcast at the thought of His leaving them He said "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe on God, believe also on me", John 14: 1. Oh that we might believe on Him beloved, that our hearts might be stirred to the glorious reality that there is a Person above on whom we can believe. There are many persons who believe in Jesus; oh that we might all be those who believe on Jesus, that is that He becomes the object of our hearts. He will take as much room as you or I are prepared to give Him, but when He comes in it is that He intends in a blessed way to dominate. The secret of abiding and lasting happiness is in simple faith that makes room for this glorious Person to come in in relation to every one of our circumstances, and allows Him to take full and complete control. He loves to do so He loves to bring in with His own touch what He alone can give. He comes in such a way that He leaves a fresh sense of the blessedness and the greatness of Himself. Oh that our hearts might be filled with Him! Whilst it is a happy occasion for our beloved brother and sister, may it also be for each one of us as we experience what it is to taste what is spiritual and is lasting and abiding.

That is really what came in on that occasion at Cana. He manifested His glory and His disciples believed on Him. One of the benefits of being a little bit older is that you were once younger, so you know something of the feelings that may enter into the hearts of young persons. With some of us there was a tendency to think that what is spiritual appeared to put a damper on other pleasant things. The truth is far otherwise for, in fact, it adds its own lustre to what is rightly natural which the latter of itself cannot possibly afford. Oh that our brother and sister and all of us might be encouraged therefore to set ourselves for what is spiritual. Becoming spiritual is not all that difficult really, it is simply a matter of giving room to the Spirit and yielding to the rights of Christ. How quickly the woman in John 4 developed! What glorious disclosures the Lord Jesus was able to make to her! You might say, Is anybody ever likely to make anything out of her spiritually? I think the secret was that she allowed the Lord Jesus in His own greatness and glory to search her heart and to lay hold of it; and as we let Him do the same for us we will find that our life is in a sphere of things that is lasting and abiding.

That is what made me read Ephesians beloved. In the beginning of that epistle there are enumerated the things that God conceived for our blessing before the world had its existence. How wonderful that is! God was thinking about us not only in relation to what is for time but what is eternal. There is nothing more restful than to allow our souls to be bathed in the glorious purposes and thoughts of God. There is nothing more stable in a world which is marked by so much instability than having your heart sensible to the fact that you were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, chosen for the greatest possible blessing that the Creator could conceive, involving that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love. The secret of our blessing is that we are to be before God, indeed God Himself is going to be our portion eternally. In the light of these things Paul comes down and touches on every sphere of responsibility; there are more practical exhortations in this epistle in this regard than in any other. That is, as you are governed by what is spiritual you fill out to the full every natural obligation as down here in the scene of testimony. The standard for the believer is to be patterned after the glorious standard of Christ and the assembly. These great thoughts spring from the heart of the blessed God Himself, How great Christ is! In His own Person God and yet a real Man. "I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly", a creature vessel set alongside a blessed Man who in His glorious Person is God - how wonderful to contemplate! Think of the love of Christ for the assembly! What a love that is beloved, and we are called to maintain such a standard in a world that is marked by the constant lowering of every standard. The standard for every believer in the sphere of marital relationship is Christ and the assembly How elevating! As we keep these things before us we will find that we shall enjoy the natural sphere of things in a way that no person apart from the knowledge of God can possibly do. God intends us to enjoy all things but He has His own standard. What a test this is, that you love your wife with the character of love that Christ has shown for the assembly. His present activity is in washing it by the water of the word that He might present it to Himself without spot, wrinkle or any such thing. Love shows itself not only in great things but in the little practical details; it delights to render service to the object of its affections. May we understand increasingly what it is to pattern our relationships on the glorious standard that God sets before us. May we see the immense gain of giving room in our hearts to what is spiritual, allowing them to be regulated by that glorious Man. May our brother and sister prove what it is to make room for Him to allow Him to be before them as their glorious object and model. God would elevate and encourage our hearts and minds on this occasion, as assuring us of His interest in us. On our side may we learn to give more place to Him in our lives in a practical way, for by that means we shall find that He has left the good wine till now; for us eternity itself will be an everlasting now.