God's First Attitude Towards Man

I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.” —

Revelation hi. 5.

And so our names are in the book of life already! “I will not blot oza” — this implies that our names are now m. And truly it is so. God begins by assuming that we are sons. He writes our names in His birthday-book before we have a character good or bad. Before the younger brother in Christ’s parable became a prodigal he asked and received a portion from his father. His father did not say,” I will wait to see whether you are fit for it.’* No; he gave it to him in advance — previous to his moral trial. There is a thought entertained by some people which to me is awful — that we are put into this world as candidates for God’s love. That would be to start life in absolute darkness; the morning hour would be my rayless hour. Waiting to be enrolled in the birthday-book of my Father! waiting at the door till I can prove my right to enter! waiting in the outer hall till I can establish my claim of ancestry! — it is a deadening, a ghastly thing! I refuse to start life with my Fathers love an open question. I refuse to be a candidate for my rightful place in the birthday-book. I refuse to win by struggle my claim to the heart of Jesus.

O Christ, I was born in Thy dwelling; my name was written in childhood in the birthday-book with Thee! Not rayless was my childhood — not curtained from Thy love. I have never been a probationer, never been a candidate for Thy heart. I have never felt that I must win something if I would win Thee. Such a thought would paralyse me on the threshold. Only by the previous sense of Thy love can I win anything. It is my name in the birthday-book that inspires me. I could not fight on the chance of being made Thy soldier; I could only fight because I am enlisted already. It is by the light of Thy heaven that I take my journey on earth. It is by Thy star of Bethlehem that I climb the mount of Beatitudes. It is by Thy smile of dove-like peace that I meet the temptations of the wilderness. It is by Thy fellowship in the upper room that I lift with Thee the cross. I need Thee “previous to all things.” Thou must be my morning — not alone my afternoon, my effort — not alone my reward, my guide — not alone my goal. Only the lamp of Thy love can lead me to my labours. I shall never breast the battle till I see my name on Thy muster-roll.