A STORY is told about Princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James I. of England, when she was a child. She showed a great love for all kinds of pets, so a portrait was made of her with a number of her pets around her. She was so kind to them that they loved her, and not one of them would hurt her. Some of them would not hurt anybody, but the big dog and the monkey could, if they wished, but because of her kindness, they would not hurt her. I suppose my little readers are not a bit surprised at this, and would say it is only right that they should be kind to her seeing she was so kind to them.
Have you thought of the great love of God to us in the gift of His Son, and His many kindnesses to us every day? I expect many of you will answer, “Yes,” but I ask another question, Have you responded to that love? Can you say, “We love Him because He first loved us”? 1 John 4:1919We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19).
No one has loved us as God has; for, rather than have us bear the eternal results of our sins, He gave His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, to take our place on Calvary’s cross, and there He was forsaken of God on account of our sins having been laid upon Him, and the Lord Jesus exhausted the punishment, and said “It is finished,” so He left nothing for you or me to do in atoning for our sins. We could not, so He did it all for us.
Should not this kindness and love of God, cause us to respond, and seek to live for Him, and please Him in all our ways? You are not surprised that these dumb animals responded to the kindness and love that was shown to them. How much greater is the reason that we should do all things pleasing to God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, seeing that the love which He has shown us is beyond all measure.
ML-08/29/1920