To be near unto God - pagina 203

then was the degree of tenderness in the love, and how long did this exaltation of soul continue? More 3'et, how often did it become in us And suppose we ha\'e a thirsting after God? come thus far, not every day, but most days, how far distant are we even then from loving God with all the heart, and all the soul, and all our consciousness? For this all must also include all the day, so that our love for God never escapes us,

even in

sleep.

must here be made. up in the heart, can scintillate in the word, can restrain sin and selfishness, and inspire deeds of devotion and heroic courage. But the inspiration of this love can Naturally,

Love

for

a

distinction spring

God can

very well operate in us, while we may not be conscious of our love for God, nor of the reciprocal working of God's love for us in our heart. From love for God a martyr can go into death, and in the moment of dying be so abstracted by deadly pain, or by the taunts of his executioners, that for the moment tender communion of love with God is impossible. It is equally true that business or professional duties, intercourse with people and the cares of daily life may so engage our minds that with perchance a passing thought of God, we are utterly unable to center our mind' on God. But though we keep all this out of count, it is still the great cominandment, to love God with all the heart, with all the soul, and with all the mind. And who of us has ever succeeded in doing more of this than a small part of the whole? But there is One who has not fainted before this first and great commandment, but no more 195

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