“The word of the LORD was precious in those days.”
(1st Samuel 3:1)

Our heavenly Father had bestowed upon His children the precious gift of eternal life in His blessed Son. The gift of Christ to us is owing completely to His sovereign love, grace and mercy. It is He alone that merits worship, praise and thanksgiving for his unspeakable Gift. “God so loved…that He sent” – tells it all! It is evident that those to and for whom he has revealed His great love, esteem Him and His gospel most precious.

Those who ONLY PROFESS to know Him and love Him are consumed with themselves, the cares of this life, and the pleasures of this world. To the child of God, even the most dear things to the flesh is but a trial of faith and a hindrance that sorrowfully dims our view of His precious face.

The Word of the LORD, the gospel, is precious to those that love Him – To ALL those that love Him, without exception. What an honour! What a privilege! What a blessing, that our LORD would take us by the heart and set us at His table and feed our souls with heavenly portions! Why would we want to be anywhere else? No wonder Job said, “neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12)

The means whereby God had graciously ordained to feed and care for those whom He loves, with an everlasting love, is not taken lightly or passed over by them. If God permits them to deny Him for a brief moment, they like Peter, will repent with bitter tears. They will not have a hard, cold heart and the attitude that no matter what God or the preacher says, “I will do as I please.”

The prayer of the one to whom Christ and His gospel is precious is, “Lord, take not thy Spirit from me. Teach me thy way. Help me to commit myself to you and your Word.” When the Lord said to Peter, “If you love me, feed my sheep,” by the same token He says to the sheep, “If you love me, come and dine.” Whether Christ is precious to us or not is a matter of the heart. May God in mercy and grace empty us of ourselves and fill us with Christ our Redeemer, love for Him, and commitment to Him.

T. Robbins