Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

June 11– Morning

 by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“We love him because he first loved us.” 

—1 John 4:9

 

There is no light in the moon or planets but only that which originates with the sun; in the same way there is no true love for Jesus in the believer’s heart that does not first come from God himself. From the overflowing fountain of his infinite love all of our love to him must spring. This is a great and certain truth that we love him for no other reason than because he first loved us.

Anyone can have a cold admiration for God when studying his works, but the warmth of love can only be kindled in the heart by God’s Spirit. What a wonder it is that we should ever have come to love Jesus at all! How marvelous it is to think that he would set his affections on those who rebelled against him and seek to draw us back. No! We wouldn’t ever have had a grain of love towards God unless he had first planted the seed of love in us.

And after this divine love is born, it must be divinely nourished. Love is an exotic plant, not one that flourishes naturally in human soil, and it must be watered from above. Love to Jesus is a delicate flower, and if it only received nourishment from the rocky soil of our hearts it would soon wither. Love comes from heaven and must feed on heavenly bread. Love must feed on love. The very soul and life-blood of our love to God is his love to us. [M&E]