To Love is to Live Like Christ

For Lord’s Day, March 23, 2014

Dear Saints,

We continue with the second table of the Moral Law this Lord’s Day morning.  As we had taken note together, our evening service that same day on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a was a providential segue from the first four to the last six commandments.

This week, a reading of a Puritan prayer from the Valley of Vision (of which we have several copies in our library) ran on RefNet.fm.  Some of the words really jumped out in relation to the above messages and what we will be hearing from Christ tomorrow morning. Here are a few excerpts from the prayer that I encourage you to pray over leading into the Lord’s Day tomorrow.  First, where we were last week (Love Your LORD Completely, Exodus 20:3-11; Matthew 22:37-38; Deuteronomy 6:5):

Give me the saving lamp of thy Spirit that I may see thee,
the God of my salvation, the delight of my soul,
rejoicing over me in love …
May my lips be well-tuned cymbals sounding thy praise,
Let a halo of heavenly-mindness sparkle around me …

Next, where we will be tomorrow morning (Love All Always as Friends; Exodus 20:12-17; Matthew 22:39-40; Leviticus 19:18):

May my words and works allure others to the highest walks
of faith and love! …
May worldlings be won to delight in acquaintance with thee! …
Cause me to be a mirror of thy grace,
to show others the joy of thy service, …
Teach me the happy art of attending to things temporal
with a mind intent on things eternal.
Send me forth to have compassion on the ignorant and miserable.
Help me to walk as Jesus walked,
my only Saviour and perfect model,
his mind my inward guest,
his meekness my covering garb.
Let my happy place be amongst the poor in spirit,
my delight the gentle ranks of the meek.
Let me always esteem others better than myself,
and find in true humility an heirdom to two worlds.

The title to this prayer is, “Christlikeness.”  Beloved, may we be moved to conform more to the image of Christ tomorrow on His holy day, that we would love God more fully like the Messiah, and love one another more concertedly like Jesus.

Regarding the line above that reads, “Let my happy place be amongst the poor in spirit, my delight the gentle ranks of the meek,” I want to affirm you for identifying with the meekest among us, the unborn, through your fantastic support in funds and presence in different ways through our efforts with bringing a South Bay satellite office of the East County Pregnancy Care Clinic to our area.  Here are photos  to enjoy of today’s Walk for Life in which many of you were able to participate.

Semper Reformanda,
Pastor Grant

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