PRECIOUS TO GOD
Graham J Gaskin
I am very grateful what our brother has brought before us, because I had an impression too, about what is so particularly precious to divine Persons at the present time. It is found wherever there are conditions that are of true assembly character, and this is why I read the section in Ephesians. We have limited numbers to walk with, some of our meetings may be quite small and we may be conscious of that, but God has very large resources. We may not appreciate the fulness of what is available in the assembly. God is bringing through something which is so particularly precious to Him, even where there are pressures and times of difficulty. We perhaps cannot take account of the richness of all that is under the Lord’s eye, and yet there are twos and threes, as our brother has said, that are going on in faithfulness, and God has such delight in them; I wanted to call attention to that.
I read in Acts just to show how precious to God the assembly is as it has been purchased at such a great cost. How much He must value what is expressive of assembly character!
Connected with all this is the greatness of the love of the Christ. I was reading an article by Mr A J Gardiner last night and he was speaking about what takes place in John 13, see ‘The Power of Love’ Collected Articles, Part 4 p169,. There the enemy was active; there was an emissary of Satan in that company, Judas, and although the enemy was so near, yet it says Jesus “having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end”, John 13: 1. The love of the Lord Jesus continues and is going to preserve what is true to Him right through to the end. He said at the end of Matthew’s gospel, “behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age”, chap 28: 20. The Lord Jesus has resources that in His love He is going to make available to the assembly, that she will be brought through triumphantly. It has been said that He would not spare anything in order that the assembly should be preserved and set on.
That is why I read these words in Ephesians. It speaks of the Lord serving. It says He is going to purify the assembly “by the washing of water by the word, that he might present the assembly to himself glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any of such things”. It has been said, and I think it is right, that this washing is not exactly to remove any impurity: you cannot think of that in the assembly viewed as the vessel of God’s purpose. It is rather to bring out the purity of what is there, which is so inherently attractive and what answers to the Lord’s affections. (Mr Coates thought that it suggested excellence and beauty conferred rather than defilement removed, CAC Vol 26 p73). Beloved brethren, that is what is going on today despite what may appear as weakness and small numbers. What an encouragement for us to see that God still has that which is so deeply precious to Him.
I suppose the exercise for us is that although we can be assured that God will have and maintain what was according to His purposes and it will go through in triumph, am I having my part in it livingly? Am I enjoying what is responding to the heart of Christ? Am I conscious of His love, that sustaining love of Christ? I believe the Lord would call attention to His affections for His own. In that very same chapter in John 13: 23 you find that the apostle John refers to himself as the disciple that Jesus loved and who was in the bosom of Jesus. This is the one whose ministry goes on to the end. That character of the Lord’s affection for His own is going to continue despite everything and it is going to be maintained in power, “having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end”. Beloved brethren, how wonderful to be in the consciousness of the Lord’s affections: may we know and enjoy the currency of them. May it thrill our hearts. We may be conscious of this being a day of small things, but nevertheless, what is so precious to divine Persons is being brought through. May we be encouraged to find our part in it and find the joy of it. We can be in the enjoyment of His love individually and I often think of the hymn of Bernard of Clairvaux,
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know. (Hymn 279)
Paul was conscious of the Lord’s love to him when he said, “the Lord stood with me, and gave me power”, 2 Tim 4: 17, the Lord in His affection sustained His apostle and supported him in the testimony that he had to give. But how precious for us to take account of the depth of His love to His assembly; and may we be increasingly conscious beloved, of the Lord’s love to us both collectively and individually. Things are going to go through in power for the Lord Himself is great Accomplisher of these things and He is going to bring them about for God’s glory.
May we be encouraged for His Name’s sake.
Aberdeen
15th April 2025