Night Watches by John McDuff
The Love of God God is love. 1 John chapter 4 verse 16 The
only real mystery of the Bible, says an old writer, is a mystery
of love. God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten son. What? and that for a lost and
ruined world, the Prince of Life should leave his throne of glory,
travel down to a valley of tears, and expire by an ignominious
death on a bitter tree. Love unutterable, unspeakable. The reflection of a skeptic of
a bygone age may have formed at times the musing of better
minds. This is far too great. It is
far too good to be true. Infinite majesty, compassionating
infinite weakness, the great son of heaven, the fountain of
uncreated light, undergoing an eclipse of darkness and blood
for the sake of a candle that glimmered in nothingness in comparison
with his beams. God so loved the world. Man never
can get farther in the solution of the wondrous problem. Eternity
itself will form a ladder, the saints climbing step by step
its ascending glories, but as the prospect widens, each new
altitude will elicit the same confession, the love of Christ
which passes knowledge. My soul, Seek to enter into the
secrets of this love of your adorable Redeemer. Before all
time, that love began. We have glimpses of it bursting
out from the recesses of a past eternity. Then, I was by Him
as one brought up with Him, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing
always before Him. and when the fullness of the
time had come, though foreseen were all his untold sufferings,
nothing would deter him from pursuing his anguished path. He set his face steadfastly to
go to Jerusalem. Now as if longing for the hour
of victory, he exclaimed, There is a terrible baptism ahead of
me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. Think of that love now. The live
coals, in the censer of old, form a feeble type of the burning
ardor of affection, still manifested by our great High Priest within
the veil, in behalf of his own people. There, he bears a name
of each indelibly engraved on his breastplate. Loving them
at the beginning, he will love them even unto the end. Earthly
love may grow cold and changeable. Earthly love may die. Not so
the love of this friend of friends. It is strong as death, surviving
death. No, as deathless as eternity. Listen to his own exponent of
its intensity. As the Father has loved me, so
have I loved you. You see in him, says an old writer,
an ocean of love without bottom, without bounds, overflowing the
banks of heaven, streaming down upon this poor world to wash
away the vileness of man. Blessed Jesus, how cold and fitful
and transient has been my love to you in comparison of your
love to me. bring me more under its constraining
influence. May this be the superscription
on all my thoughts and actions, my occupations and my time. I am not my own. Lord, I am yours. How can I love you enough who
have so loved me? My life shall henceforth be one
thank-offering of praise for your redeeming mercies. standing this night on the shores
of this illimitable ocean, surveying its length and breadth, every
wave murmuring, peace on earth and goodwill to men. I will lie
down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell
in safety. Psalm 4 verse 8