Dear Ones:
God is always calling us “out” and “away” from our self-centeredness to life, and liberty. One of His great, and yet, very simple methods in drawing out our hearts to him, is in His use of the little word, “If.” How great a paradox, that so little a word, could have so many, and enormous, ramifications in our lives, and in those of others. For example, the Lord Jesus said, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (Jn. 14:23) Here, based upon the little word, “If,” is revealed to us the mystery which was hid from all the ages leading up to Pentecost, “Christ in us the hope of glory.” But I am sure that the Lord Jesus, in the context of this chapter, is not just speaking of our union with Him, but of a communion with Him and the Father. We are looking at the experiential love of the Father, and a communion with the Son and the Father that is based on His permanent presence in the heart.
“If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.” (Jn. 14:15-16) Again, we are faced with this little word, “If.” But with the consideration of it, let’s look at the “then,” for there are repercussions for the one who responds to the call to engage. “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter (Everlasting).” Where there is love for Christ, there is the blessing of the Spirit. The question then becomes, what is the meaning of His “everlasting” indwelling and presence? What are the purposes and intentions, not to mention, the will of God, because of such blessing? Certainly more than we could ever “ask or think.”
In our day and time, we are apt to make Christianity a very complicated thing. But we must remember, that even a child can come to Christ, as well as an adult. God can, and does, reveal Himself to children as well as adults, and sometimes the response of the child is greater than that of the adult. The result is the revelation of Christ to the heart, by the Spirit, as the “Spirit of truth, ” our Teacher and Guide, even our Keeper. How much does the Lord desire to reveal Himself to us in this manner, and in ways that exceed our grasp? It will depend upon the simple words: “If ye love Me…” This is the great truth…to know the love of God, and to love Him, to know Him and to make Him known.
And so, let us not “despise the day of small things,” especially, the little word, “If.” But let us use it as a gripping point in our climb to know God. May the Lord Jesus enable us to set ourselves, in quiet dependence upon the Spirit, to love Him, and believe Him. For IF we love Him, IF we have His commandments and obey them, “…I will love Him, and will manifest Myself to him.” (Jn. 14:21) Is this not true Christianity, to love God, to know God, and discover in an ever-increasing manner, how much He loves us, desires to reveal Himself to us?
Love, Dad