Dear friend,
The Lord delights in His people. (Isa. 62:4) And does that suggest that His people of themselves are lovely in His sight by nature? No, because even all their righteousnesses are as filthy rags in His sight. How can such a people be delight to the Lord God? Only the seed of Abraham is a delight to Him. Of Him it is said from Heaven, "This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased." With this Seed of Abraham is the Covenant of God established. There can be no fellowship of love outside of our Lord Jesus Christ. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:29) Be in Christ and the Lord takes delight in you.
In Christ Jesus we are created anew. (Eph. 2:10) "Thus saith the Lord that created thee, ... Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isa. 43:1) A man may sinfully and unnaturally forsake and forget his own offspring, but the Lord will never do such sinful thing. Having loved us, He will love us to the very end. His love for us is not conditioned upon ours for Him simply because He first loves us. His is a sovereign love from all eternity, without which there is simply no hope for us sinful creatures. He loves and has mercy upon whom He will according to His own good pleasure.
You, who are like Jacob, "not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; " (Genesis 32:10), are most troubled when you hear that God only establishes conditional covenant with His people. The covenant of God is not a means to an end. It is the very goal which will one day be revealed in all its glory in the New Heavens and the New Earth. (Rev. 21) This wonderful friendship is established with us, His chosen and hidden ones, unconditionally in His Son, our Lord and Saviour. We are not worthy of any of His mercies. If there is a condition laid upon us, we are doomed, and we naturally would be in great despair.
But there is hope and joy for those who trust in His Word. "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy." (Psa 147:11) Is your hope based upon His Sovereign mercy or upon your own ability to fulfill some conditions laid down by Him?
Do read the Holy Scriptures for yourselves in the free Daily Light on Daily Path for this day at http://soshine.blogspot.com/2007/09/daily-light-on-daily-path-november.html#Nov26M.
lck
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