Deeper Life #15

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

—1 Corinthians 13:13

LOVE IS THE BEGINNING AND the middle and the end—the first sign, stamp, and seal—of the saint. Stronger than death, deeper than hell, higher than heaven, is this mighty, personal devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. No one can ever destroy the individual whose heart is in personal, passionate devotion to Jesus.

Who that one moment has the least descried Him,

Dimly and faintly, hidden and afar,

Doth not despise all excellence beside Him,

Pleasures and powers that are not and that are.

Aye amid all men bear himself thereafter,

Smit with a solemn and a sweet surprise,

Dumb to their scorn and turning on their laughter,

Only the dominance of earnest eyes?

(Frederic William Henry Myers)

Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all besides. This is not sentiment; this is fact. When will this knowledge of Him be full? Never! Eternal life is to know Christ eternally; not eternal existence, but eternal knowledge of God; deeper depths and grander heights forever! Beware of your own inward experiences unless they have this dominant note of fervent love for God.

Prayer Thought: I love You, Lord, and I want to show the fruit of this passionate devotion toward others.

SUGGESTED READING: 1 Corinthians 13:8–13