May 25

God . . . hath . . . spoken unto us by his Son.

HER. i. 1, 2.

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings; and the word that ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. — JOHN xiv. 24.

THE highest test of love to Christ is obedience at the cost of any self-denial or sacrifice, and the most essential qualification for receiving the manifestations of his love. When Jesus said, "It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that sent me," he disclosed the secret of his perfect union and communion with the Father; and when we can say from the heart that we delight to do the will of Christ as revealed in the word of the Father, then do we enter into fellowship with him, and he "manifests himself unto us as he does not unto the world." Disobedience closes every avenue of the soul against the manifestations of Christ's love, as shutting the blinds and drawing the curtains excludes the warm light of the sun. Just to the extent we feel that the commands of Christ are grievous and irksome, imposing unreasonable self-denials, do we disqualify ourselves for receiving and reciprocating the tokens of his love.

Blessed is the disciple who can say, "Thy statutes are the rejoicing of my heart: more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb: thy precepts are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage:" heavenly visions and moments of transfiguration are awaiting him in the closet, the sanctuary, and at the sacramental table.

Gilbert R. Brackett

Let us obey; we then shall know,

Shall feel our sins forgiven,

Anticipate our heaven below,

And own that love is heaven.

C. WESLEY.