In our former meditation reference was made
to the entrance into a life of rest and strength which has often come through a
true insight into the personal love of Christ, and the assurance that that love
indeed meant that He would keep the soul. In connection with that transition,
and the faith that sees and accepts it, the word surrender or
consecration is frequently used. The soul sees that it cannot claim the
keeping of this wonderful love unless it yields itself to a life of entire
obedience. It sees too that the faith that can trust Christ for keeping from
sinning must prove its sincerity by venturing at once to trust Him for strength
to obey. In that faith it dares to give up and cut off everything that has
hitherto hindered it, and to promise and expect to live a life that is well
pleasing to God.
This is the thought we have here now in our
Saviour's teaching. After having in the words, "Abide in my love," spoken of a
life in His love as a necessity, because it is at once a possibility and an
obligation, He states what its one condition is: "If ye keep my
commandments, ye shall abide in my love." This is surely not meant to close
the door to the abode of His love which he had just opened up. Not in the most
distant way does it suggest the thought which some are too ready to entertain,
that as we cannot keep His commandments, we cannot abide in His love. No; the
precept is a promise: "Abide in my love," could not be a precept if it were not
a promise. And so the instruction as to the way through this open door points
to no unattainable ideal; the love that invites to her blessed abode reaches
out the hand, and enables us to keep the commandments. Let us not fear, in the
strength of our ascended Lord, to take the vow of obedience, and give ourselves
to the keeping of His commandments. Through His will, loved and done, lies the
path to His love.
Only let us understand well what it means. It
refers to our performance of all that we know to be God's will. There may be
things doubtful, of which we are not sure. A sin of ignorance has still the
nature of sin in it. There may be involuntary sins, which rise up in the flesh,
which we cannot control or overcome. With regard to these God will deal in due
tome in the way of searching and humbling, and if we be simple and faithful,
give us larger deliverance than we dare expect. But all this may be found in a
truly obedient soul. Obedience has reference to the positive keeping of the
commandments of our Lord, and the performance of His will in everything in
which we know it. This is a possible degree of grace, and it is the acceptance
in Christ's strength of such obedience as the purpose of our heart, of which
our Saviour speaks here. Faith in Christ as our Vine, in His enabling and
sanctifying power, fits us for this obedience of faith, and secures a life of
abiding in His love.
If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in
My love--It is the heavenly Vine unfolding the mystery of the life He
gives. It is to those abiding in Him to whom He opens up the secret of the full
abiding in His love. It is the wholehearted surrender in everything to do
His will, that gives access to a life in the abiding enjoyment of His
love.
Obey and abide. Gracious Lord, teach me
this lesson, that it is only through knowing Thy will one can know Thy heart,
and only through doing that will one can abide in Thy love. Lord, teach
me that as worthless as is the doing in my own strength, so essential and
absolutely indispensable is the doing of faith in Thy strength, if I would
abide in Thy love.