A LITTLE girl was greatly troubled because she thought that her mother did not love her.
One day she was busily trying to scrub a floor, when a friend, passing by, asked, “What are you doing, little one? You are not strong enough to work so hard.”
The child, looking up with her eyes full of tears, replied, “Perhaps mother will love me if she sees I am trying to help her.”
Knowing the mother’s loving heart, the friend said, “Dear child, your mother’s love is not to be won, she loves you already as much as ever she can.”
Many have fallen into the same mistake with regard to the love of God. He will not love a man any more on account of the dreary drudgery of “works of righteousness,” so called, which he may undertake in the endeavor to secure His blessing. He loves us already, in spite of our condition, and He “commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).) And again we read, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).)
Account the truth as to the love of God no strange thing to be doubted, but as a blessed, divine reality, to be received in simple faith. Then, where once all was dismal and dark, all will be bright and blessed for time and for eternity.
ML 07/09/1916