Living In The Light

January 12, Love Undaunted

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?”
—Hosea 11:8 LL 18.1

The Savior says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). He is not repulsed by scorn or turned aside by threatening, but continually seeks the lost ones, saying, “How shall I give thee up?” (Hosea 11:8). Although His love is driven back by the stubborn heart, He returns to plead with greater force, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.” The winning power of His love compels souls to come in. And to Christ they say, “Thy gentleness hath made me great” (Psalms 18:35). LL 18.2

Christ will impart to His messengers the same yearning love that He Himself has in seeking for the lost. We are not merely to say, “Come.” There are those who hear the call, but their ears are too dull to take in its meaning. Their eyes are too blind to see anything good in store for them. Many realize their great degradation. They say, I am not fit to be helped; leave me alone. But the workers must not desist. In tender, pitying love, lay hold of the discouraged and helpless ones. Give them your courage, your hope, your strength. By kindness compel them to come. “Of some have compassion, making a difference; and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire” (Jude 22,23). LL 18.3

If the servants of God will walk with Him in faith, He will give power to their message. They will be enabled so to present His love and the danger of rejecting the grace of God that men and women will be constrained to accept the gospel. Christ will perform wonderful miracles if men and women will but do their God-given part. In human hearts today as great a transformation may be wrought as has ever been wrought in generations past. John Bunyan was redeemed from profanity and reveling, John Newton from slave dealing, to proclaim an uplifted Savior. A Bunyan and a Newton may be redeemed from among men today. Through human agents who cooperate with the divine, many a poor outcast will be reclaimed, and in their turn will seek to restore the image of God in humans. There are those who have had very meager opportunities, who have walked in ways of error because they knew no better way, to whom beams of light will come.— Christ’s Object Lessons , p. 235. LL 18.4

Further Reflection: Have you ever felt beyond the reach of Jesus’ love? LL 18.5