GOD’S LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE.
By Emma L. Runck
If saints wept thru discouragement, or were in danger, the angel that ever attends them would fly quickly upward to carry the tidings, and the angels in the city would cease to sing. Then Jesus would commission another angel to descend to encourage, watch over, and try to keep them in the narrow path; but if they did not take heed to the watchful care of these angels, and would not be comforted by them, but continued to go astray, the angels would look sad and weep.” “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed.” It is thru His matchless love that He gave His dearly beloved Son to die for a guilty and sin-cursed race. “No matter how low down you are, no matter what your disposition has been; you may be low in your thoughts, words, and actions; you may be selfish, your heart may be overflowing with corruption and wickedness; yet Jesus will have compassion on you. He will speak comforting words to you; He will not treat you coldly and spurn you as perhaps those of earth would, but will speak tender words—words of love, affection, and kindness. He is a faithful friend—a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” His love is never-failing. He loves all His creatures. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.” “He maketh His sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” And in return for His kindness and tender mercies, “we all like sheep have gone astray;” we have “sinned and come short of the glory of God,” for in our flesh “dwelleth no good thing.” And while men were yet in this lost and undone condition, “in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” God so loved them that He gave His only-begotten Son as a ransom for the sinful world. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” “Let us be silent about such things as are a discredit to Christian character. Keep an ill report secret. Do not do like the young lady who called in a dozen friends to help her keep a secret. Remember you may yourself deserve rebuke sometime; and as you would like this to be done gently and privately, so keep your remarks on others within the happy circle of tender love.” We should love one another as Christ has loved us. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.” God does not love us for any good we have done. It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy,” that, even when we were dead in sins, He quickened and raised us up. The Lord has another way in which He manifests His love for His people. He says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” “For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth.” “God’s rebukes are in love, and so should ours be; holy reproofs in the spirit of affection are snuffers of gold. Never use any other, and use even these with discretion; lest you put out the flame which it is your aim to improve. Never reprove in anger. Do not deal with a small fault as if it were a great crime. If you see a fly on your boy’s forehead, do not try to kill it with a sledge-hammer, or you may kill the boy also. Do the needful, but very difficult work of reproof in kindness, and the wisest style, so that the good you aimed at may be attained.” God’s love for His children is able to raise them up, and to turn the curses of the enemy into a blessing, if they will put their trust in Him; for He loves them with an everlasting love, and nothing can turn aside the love of God from them that trust Him. Alma, Neb. EMMA L. RUNCK.