A Divine Love - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
John 13:1 NKJV

A Divine Love
It is a common saying that love is blind, but I look upon it as a slander upon love. Most certainly it does not and could not apply to the love of Christ. He knew all that was in us, and He knows now all our ways and all our weakness and all our follies; but He loves us notwithstanding all, and in the power of that love He acts toward us in order to deliver us from all that He sees in us and about us which would hinder our holy fellowship with the Father and with His Son.

Of what use would a blind love be to you or to me? Surely, none whatever. How could we ever rest in a love that only acted toward us in ignorance of our blots and blemishes? Impossible! What we want is a love superior to all our imperfections, and a love that can deliver us from them. This love we have in Christ, blessed be His name! It is a love that, however it may expose us to ourselves, will never expose us to another. It is a love that comes to us with the basin and towel, and stoops down in infinite tenderness and lowly, matchless grace to wash away every bit of soil, and give us the comfortable sense of being "completely clean" (Jn. 13:10). This is the love which you and I need, and this is the love which we have found in divine fullness and power in the heart of that perfect Servant who is girded for us ever before the throne.

Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them—how long? As long as they behaved themselves, and walked with unsoiled feet? Ah, no! This would never do for such as we. "He loved them to the end." Precious perfect, divine, everlasting love!

-- C. H. Mackintosh

Lord Jesus, how our souls adore that perfect love of Thine!

We'd sing its sweetness o'er and o'er, immeasurable, divine.

-- B. G. Hardingham