Vigilance - Cont'd

 

Use what time is left. Open your heart wide

so that love for Jesus can flow in and shape

your life; then, even while you sleep, this

love is actively present---simply because your

whole being is given over to Him. Do not

tolerate anything that would diminish your

love for Jesus and cause Him to withdraw

His love from you. Do not tolerate a negative

attitude toward any person. Do not tolerate

any false attachments to people and things.

Do not tolerate anything that would draw

you away from Jesus' path of lowliness and

obedience. Resist the temptation to go your

own way, gratifying self. Be on your guard

against losing the love you had at first.

 

The hour is coming when the One whom your

soul loves will appear, but you will not notice

if you are not aglow with first love. Nor will

you be drawn to Him, for only those who love

Him with bridal love will be drawn to the

Bridegroom. In that hour it will be too late to

open your heart so that it may be filled afresh

with love for Jesus, too late to buy the oil of

love.  Your heart must already be filled with

this love.  You must be a bride with all your

being so that He will receive you as such when

He comes for His bride. He will take as His

bride only those who love Him ardently, even

in the darkest moments, and who were ready

because their lamps were filled with the oil

of repentance and love.

 

O day of supreme happiness when Jesus cele-

brates the marriage supper of the Lamb with

His bride amid the rejoicing of heaven! It is

worth sacrificing everything to gain bridal love,

the pearl of great price, in order to know the

joy of that day. Yet even if we were to give up

everything in this life that is desirable and

satisfying for body, soul, and spirit for the

sake of this love, we would still have given

too little. Attaining the supreme goal of the

marriage supper of the Lamb is worth everything.

 

Know that the midnight hour is approaching,

and with it the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The Bridegroom is coming.

Turn your back on everything that would

hinder you from going to meet Him.

Live only to love Him.

 

 

(Excerpt - part 2, from My All - ch. 27)