HOW AFFECTION FOR CHRIST IS DEVELOPED

Dr. S. D. K. Roberts

2 Samuel 19: 30; Song of Songs 5: 16 (first clause); John 13: 23; Genesis 37: 3

I have been considering, in relation to the longings of my own heart—and I am sure that they are in the hearts of my brethren—how our love for Christ may be increased. It has been said in these meetings that it is love for Christ which would stimulate us to go in for heavenly and eternal things. We are attracted ‘over Jordan’ to where Christ is. How, then, can that love for Him be increased?

It seems to me that there are certain lines of contemplation that the Holy Spirit would use to this end. First, there is the contemplation of Christ’s grace toward each one of us.

Mephibosheth’s love for David was developed, I believe, along this line. Think of what David had done for him. He had extricated him and given him a place at his own table as one of the king’s sons. Has not the Lord Jesus done this for each one of us? The contemplation of His grace toward us endears Him to us “The charm of a man is his kindness”, Proverbs 19: 22. Let us, dear brethren, maintain a sense of Christ’s grace—let us not lose it. Why should He pick me up, or you, and bring us into blessing? Mephibosheth showed his love for David in his readiness to give up all to be where David was. He says, “Let him”—that is, Ziba—“even take all”. It is the power of appreciation of Christ that would cause us to relinquish things here and to move over to where He is.

Then I was thinking of the excellence of His Person suggested in the Song of Songs. The feminine speaker is engaged with the personal excellency of her lover; “Yea, he is altogether lovely”. She is not thinking of what he has done for her but of what he is to her. Think of the power of attraction there is in Christ. It is illustrated in the sun holding the planets. The whole moral universe will be held in the power of attraction to the face of Jesus. What a contemplation!

Then there is the contemplation of His love.

John in the passage read is speaking about himself as a disciple ‘in the bosom of Jesus, whom Jesus loved’. John knew Christ’s love for him and, as we know, love begets love. Every believer can take account of himself as a disciple whom Jesus loves. Love for Christ is developed as we contemplate Christ as loving each of us personally, not by thinking of our love for Him. Each one of the myriads surrounding Him in a coming day will have a personal consciousness of His love and as looking on Christ will be able to say, ‘He loved me and gave Himself for me’.

The last scripture portrays a father’s love for his son. I think love for Christ is developed in us as we contemplate the love that the Father has for the Son. As loving the Father we love the One whom He loves. We are called to share the love that the Father has for Him who is in His bosom.

So, dear brethren, I believe love for Christ is developed in us by the Holy Spirit along these lines—by the contemplation of His grace, of His personal excellence, of His love, and then of Himself as the Son of the Father’s love.

Word in meeting for ministry, Malvern
10 June 1977