- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
If.
By Amy Carmichael
One evening a fellow-worker brought to me a problem about a younger one who was not seeing the way of Jesus’ Love. This led to a sleepless night, for the word at such times is always, “Lord, is it I? What do I know of Calvary Love?” And then sentence by sentence the “Ifs” came, almost as if spoken aloud to the inner ear.
That you “may have power with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge”. These words are so important. What do we understand, what do we know of this love? Amazed, we enter before the glory of the Majesty of love. The love whose symbol is the Cross.
And a question then comes, “What do I know of Calvary love?”
If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points. If I adopt a superior attitude then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I enjoy a joke at the expense of another, if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I do not feel far more for the grieved Saviour than for my self when trouble occurs, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I am afraid to speak the truth lest the one concerned should say, “You do not understand”, or because I fear to lose my reputation. If I put my own good name before another’s good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place or the twentieth, if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I take offence easily, if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the foot of the Cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
No vision of the night can show or word declare, with what longings Divine love waits until the heart, all weary and sick of itself, turns to its Lord and says, “Take full possession”. There is no need to plead that the love of God shall fill our heart as though He were unwilling to fill us. He is ever willing, as light is willing to flood a room that is opened to its brightness, willing as water is willing to flow into an emptied channel. Love is pressing round us on all sides like air. Cease to resist, and instantly love takes possession.
Let us end on a very simple note, let us listen to simple words of our Lord, “Trust Me, My child”, He says. “Trust Me with a humbler heart and a fuller abandon to My will than ever you did before. Trust Me to pour My love through you, as minute succeeds minute. Draw all the closer to Me, come, run to Me to hide you, even from yourself. Tell Me about the trouble. Trust Me to turn My hand upon you and thoroughly to remove the boulder that has choked the river-bed, and take away all the sand that has filled up the channel. I will not leave you. I will perfect that which concerns you. Fear not, O child of My love, fear not”.
Lord, what is love? Love is that which inspired My life, and led Me to My Cross, and held Me on My Cross. Love is that which will make it your joy to lay down your life for the brethren.
Lord, evermore give me this love. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after love, for they shall be filled.
From the book ‘If’.