"Do You Love Me?" Even the Name

If we love a person, we like to hear about him.  We find a pleasure in listening to those who speak of him.  We feel an interest in any report which others make of him.  We are all attention when others talk about him and describe his ways, his sayings, his doings, and his plans.  Some may hear him mentioned with utter indifference, but our own hearts bound within us at the very sound of his name.

Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!  The true Christian delights to hear something about his Master.  He likes those sermons best which are full of Christ.  He enjoys that society most in which people talk of things which are Christ's.

There was once an old Welsh believer who used to walk several miles each Sunday to hear an English clergyman preach, though she did not understand a word of English.  She was asked why she did so.  She replied that this clergyman named the name of Christ so often in his sermons that it did her good.  She loved even the name of her Savior.

If we love a person, we like to read about him.  What intense pleasure a letter from an absent husband gives a wife, or a letter from an absent son to his mother.  Others may see little worth notice in the letter.  They can scarcely take the trouble to read it through.  But those who love the writer see something in the letter which no one else can.  They carry it about them as a treasure.  They read it over and over again.

Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!  The true Christian delights to read the Scriptures, because they tell him about his beloved Savior.  It is no wearisome task with him to read them.  He rarely needs reminding to take his Bible with him when he goes on a journey.  He cannot be happy without it.  But why is all this?  It is because the Scriptures testify of Him whom his soul loves, even Christ.

To be continued...

Adapted from the writings of J.C. Ryle