Love to God by E. W. Darling

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 16, 1864

Love to God.

By E. W. Darling

I FIND that my heart is prone to stronger affection for my kindred and earthly friends, than for my Heavenly Father.

And is it so, that that being should not stand first in our affections, who is the center of love and the source of affection? He created man for perfect holiness and happiness, and once tuned harmoniously as a harp, each chord that vibrates in his social nature; and when man was ruined by his degrading fall, he still yearned over him with a love we may not, cannot, comprehend; and his infinite wisdom devised a plan of salvation and pardon and sealed it with the blood of his only beloved Son; and now this pardon he offers to us, his fallen creatures, and desires, nay pleads with us to accept from him so great a favor, even remission of sins, and life everlasting, yea, and a home by himself of surpassing beauty, having an unvarying title and a blessed exemption from all encroachment of extortion, oppression or any evil.

Surely such a being can claim our supreme affection. And can it be that we are disposed to withhold our love from him? Do we imagine that we find an object more worthy of our affection? Ponder on these things. Let them sink deep into thy heart. Strive to change the channel of thy thoughts and thy affections, and let them center more on thy Creator.

What if an earthly prince should desire thee to cultivate a peculiar love and friendship for him and his, and promise in return signal favors; could you forget or disregard his desire? Would it not come to mind whenever you heard his name or saw aught of his? Would it not be the subject of pleasant thoughts through many successive hours? And will not the cultivation of love for so great, so holy a being as our Creator tend to ennoble and purify us; and as we come more to realize his greatness, the more shall we realize our own nothingness.

E. W. DARLING.