September 5. The goal of Christ's love.

Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory.

John 1724. Believers in Jesus are precious to God. We're his bride, and he loves us so much that he will not allow our preciousness to become our God. God does indeed make much of us. He adopts us into his family, but he does so in a way

that draws us out of ourselves to enjoy his greatness. Test yourself. If Jesus came to spend the day with you, sat down beside you on the

couch and said, I really love you. What would you focus on the rest of the day that you spend together with him.

It seems to me that too many songs and sermons leave us with the wrong answer.

They leave the impression that the heights of our joy would be in the recurrent feeling of being loved.

He loves me. He loves me.

To be sure, this is joy indeed, but not the heights and not the focus.

What are we saying with the words,

I am loved?

What do we mean?

What is this being loved?

Would not the greatest, most Christ exalting joy be found in watching Jesus all day and bursting with, you're amazing, you are amazing?

He answers the hardest question and his wisdom is amazing.

He touches a filthy, oozing sore and his compassion is amazing.

He raises a dead lady at the medical examiner's office and his power is amazing.

He predicts the afternoon's events and his foreknowledge is amazing.

He sleeps during an earthquake and his fearlessness is amazing.

He says before Abraham was, I am.

John 858 and his words are amazing.

We walk around with him all afternoon, utterly amazed at what we are seeing.

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