John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Versus
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
This is knowledge Vs knowing. So often we confuse having an awareness, a historical record, an education which pretends that receiving high grades is the same thing as knowing Jesus.
Our lives are meant to be a testament for Jesus Christ, and like the education is nothing more that, evidence. Knowing Jesus does not come from knowing me. You can see what he means to me, you can see the changes in me because of my relationship, you might even hear His words come out of my mouth, but that is not knowing Christ.
The indwelling of Christ is not performed by observation, education, nor witnessing. It is an opening of the heart and falling in love. The image of the bride of Christ is first one of love and then acceptance. At what point do we fall in love with Jesus? If we try and compare that to falling in love as the world knows love, we will find ourselves judging Christ. Is this a person I can trust? Does He have my best interest at heart? What will He bring to the relationship? That isn’t the “love” that He is speaking about.
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
We feel and are aware and attracted to the love given before we ever return that love in kind. That love is perfect in performance and appearance. It is a love that we know we cannot match and some of the hesitance we feel in accepting and returning that love is in knowing we cannot return His love as perfectly as it is given.
But His promise is that His love will dwell in us. Being unworthy cannot diminish His love. So just accept it and allow love to do the rest.
Harry Hayhoe used to constantly remind us …”Don’t try to love Jesus more than you do, just remember how much HE loves you, and it will draw out your heart in love to HIM.” Fred Pratt wrote a song about it, years ago—love it…. still have it in one of our old “Young Peoples” song books.
Thank you dear brother, for encouraging all of us to “bask in the enjoyment of our LOVE AFFAIR WITH JESUS”! —-it is ETERNAL!