Samuel Rutherford once said these words about the love of Christ: ‘There is much in our Lord’s pantry that will satisfy his children, and much wine in his cellar that will quench all their thirst. Hunger for him until he fills you. He is pleased with the importunity of hungry souls. If he delays, do not go away, but fall a-swoon at his feet. Every day we may see some new thing in Christ. His love has neither brim nor bottom. How blessed are we to enjoy this invaluable treasure, the love of Christ.’
The disciples experienced the love of Jesus in different ways. It was a good expression of his love when he fed the five thousand from a few loaves and fish. The disciples would have been astonished at that display of his power, and the personal blessing they received. Yet I suspect that they would have valued more what happened shortly afterwards when he calmed the storm on the sea, because a fierce storm is more dangerous than a temporary hunger. Calming the storm was a greater expression of his love. But it was not the greatest expression. The greatest expression occurred when Jesus found himself in a place where he was hungry in a storm. The storm was the cross and there he was hungry for a sense of the presence of God. He experienced that because he loved his people.
We are now in circumstances which call us to think about many things, but amidst them we should not forget the love of Jesus. He can provide for our needs even as he provided for his disciples long ago.
Many of us are now confined to our homes. The airwaves are full of suggestions about how to pass the time. If we have not done so already, it would help us if we took a few minutes five or six times a day to think about the love of Christ.
As Rutherford went on to say, ‘There are new foldings of love in him. Dig deep, sweat, labour, and take pains for him, and set by as much time in the day for him as you can; he will be won with labour. Live on Christ’s love.’
