My dear readers,

(Excerpts from RPG "Morning & Evening" Jan – Mar 1997, Jan 19 / Jan 26 / Feb 1 ).

1. The first love

For ever to be remembered and cherished in the heart is when first we saw the Lord at the foot of the cross. There our sin burden rolled away, we received the promises of God, rejoiced in our newfound salvation, and found our peace with God. It was like spring time in the soul; the winter of Satan’s cold chains was past; the thunderings of Sinai hushed, its lightnings flashing no more

In Christ what a glorious reconciliation was ours; the law ceased from the threatening, its justice demanded no punishment. Then by His blessed Spirit our hearts were filled with lovely grace gifts from God: love, joy, peace, patience, faith and many others. Our souls rejoiced with thanksgiving, our lips with songs of praise. We magnified the holy name of our gracious forgiving God.

In our gratitude we resolved before God, "Lord, I am Thine; all I am, and all I have, I devote to Thee. Thou has bought me with Thy blood. Let me spend myself, and be spent wholly in Thy service." At that time, our hearts burned with a holy flame of devotion to Jesus. Is it the same now? Do we love Him as we first loved?

Heed our Lord’s words to the Church of Ephesus: "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love" (Rev 2:4). Alas! It is but a little we have done for our Master. Our love has grown cold. We give to God cents when we should have given dollars. We have given the dregs and kept the cream for ourselves. His gentle voice rebukes us. In repentance we turn to Him. "O Lord, quicken us that we may return to our first love and do our first works!"

"We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Lord, make me to love Thee as I ought.

2. Making the Saviour glad

And who are thus privileged to make the Saviour glad but His people – His Church. But is it possible? He makes us glad, but how can we make Him glad? By our love. Ah! We think it is so cold, so faint; indeed, we must sorrowfully confess it to be, but still it is very sweet to Christ our Lord. Did He not delight in that love in the golden Canticle? "How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse!" (Song 4:10).

Beloved in the Lord, see how our Lord delights in you. When you lean on Him, you not only receive, but you give Him joy. When you gaze with love upon His glorious face, you not only obtain comfort, but you impart delight. Our gifts too are very pleasant to Him; so are our time, talents and substance laid upon His altar.

Our Lord is made glad by our gifts, not for their value, but for the loving grateful heart behind the gift. The lowly offerings of His saints are more acceptable than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Our godly living is like sweet-smelling perfume to Him. He is made glad when we forgive another, when we give to the poor and needy; when we lead a soul to Him.

Glorious thought, this: that by some feeble but meaningful act of ours we can make glad the heart of the King and Master of the universe! Go, then, proclaim His saving name to those still lost in the darkness of sin. Go to the perishing ones and lift up His cross that those who look with faith may live. By this you will gladden His great loving heart and glorify the Father in Heaven.

Our disobedience makes the Saviour sad.

3. He is so precious to me

As all rivers flow into the ocean, so all true delights centre on our own Beloved. His gracious look outshines the sun; the kindness of His countenance is fairer than any flower; no fragrance is like the breath of His mouth. Gems of the mine and pearls from the sea are worthless when measured against His preciousness.

Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but he could not tell us how precious, nor can any man compute the value of God’s "unspeakable (inexpressible) gift" (2 Cor 9:15). No words can describe the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to His people, nor fully assess how He is their unsurpassed satisfaction and joy: His worth is simply beyond man’s comprehension.

In the midst of plenty, we experience famine if our Lord were absent. Should He hide Himself, all our world would be black even on a sunny day, and night blacker still. What a howling wilderness is the world without our Lord! Without Him our flowers wither, pleasant fruits turn sour, birds become songless, and all our hopes are overturned. Without our Sun of Righteousness our days are over-shadowed with gloom.

How shall we sing the praise of Him who is the Soul of our soul, the Light of our light, the Life of our life? What would you do to wake up in the morning without Him? To face the day’s battles without Him? To cope with the world’s temptation without Him? Or when you come home at night, weary and worn, if there were no place of fellowship with your faithful Friend? Blessed be His name for Jesus never forsakes His own. To you who believe, He is ever so precious!

4. He is so precious to me

(Charles H Gabriel)

1. So precious is Jesus, my Savior, my King,
His praise all the day long with rapture I sing;
To Him in my weakness for strength I can cling,
For He is so precious to me.

Refrain

For He is so precious to me, For He is so precious to me;
’Tis heaven below my Redeemer to know,
For He is so precious to me.

2. He stood at my heart’s door ’mid sunshine and rain,
And patiently waited an entrance to gain;
What shame that so long He entreated in vain,
For He is so precious to me.

3. I stand on the mountain of blessing at last,
No cloud in the heavens a shadow to cast;
His smile is upon me, the valley is past,
For He is so precious to me.

4. I praise Him because He appointed a place
Where some day, thru faith in His wonderful grace,
I know I shall see Him – shall look on His face,
For He is so precious to me.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor