THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S is etern al: “Having loved H is own, He loved them unto th e end,” and -there is no end! Excluding all though t of hum an love h ere and rem embering th a t P au l is speaking of God’s love, we nestle down into the safety and assurance th a t F aith , Hope and Love will never cease, and the flower of faith is the love of God shed abroad in our h earts by the Holy Spirit. PRACTICAL POINTS (1 ) The love th a t loves long is the love th a t loves deep. (2) Love never fails. It never goes b ank rup t. This is a good business in which to invest. (3) If you blow your own trum pet, you cannot blow the Lord’s. (4) We may know everything and yet be nothing. (5) You could canal an Isthm us by faith, b u t you can have no channel of blessing w ithou t love. (6 ) The new n a tu re from God im parts a love like God’s. (7) Are you looking for something th a t is lasting? Satisfying? Lean h ard on His arm s of love. Love Does th e Unusual. You have wondered, perhaps, how a m other can tak e such infinite trouble w ith a poor, helpless babe, and find so much happiness in pouring out her life for its every need. LESSON Ask h er th e secret ILLUSTRATIONS and she will say, “ It W. H. P ik e is my child.” P er haps th e child is a cripple and th e cause of constant anxiety and self-sacrifice on her p a rt; or it may be a w orthless profligate, un g ratefu l son who rew ards h er affection w ith b ru tal neglect. Yet her loving hand is ever ready to smooth th e heated brow and nurse him back to decency and intelligence, and she will look
558 personified and glorified in love! “God is love.” “The F a th e r H imself loveth you.” “As th e F a th e r h ath loved me, so have I loved you.” “The F ath e r loveth th e Son.” “This is my beloved Son.” And gives to Jesus th e endear ing nam e“ Son of His love.” God loves. “He first loved us.” “ Even while we were sinners He com- m end eth .H is love to us.” “Thou h ast loved them as Thou h ast loved Me,” Jesu s said. “He so loved, th a t He gave His Son.” God’s Son loves. He “ loved me and gave H imself for me.” The Holy Spirit loves. “ I beseech you by th e love of the S pirit.” He has shown it by “ shedding abroad th e love of God in our h e a rts ;” and th is wonder ful love is etern al; “ I have loved thee w ith an everlasting love.” Jesus sums up all hum an obligation in two words: “Love God w ith all your h e a rt,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and commands us to “believe on th e name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one ano th er.” Now abideth faith , hope, love. This is rem arkable. F a ith gives b irth to hope. This hope is no t speculative as is hum an hope, b u t a hope based on fact; on th e Word of God; on His un failing promise. Love is th e offspring of faith, and for its continuance we are dependent upon His unfailing word. We have the proof of love in th e gift of H is Son, and in th e indwelling Holy Spirit, and th e im parted new life,— and now we are assured th a t these three graces will abide, th a t they will never cease. F a ith is eternal, and in assurance of faith , hope will live as we go on and on th rough etern al years, growing into God. Love will abide. The relation of the believer to th e F a th e r will never change. God is love. T h at love has a respon sive chord in our hearts. We have His n atu re by faith in H is Son. T h at love
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