I Love You

 

March 15, 2024

 

Good morning beloved,

 

This is one of those mornings where the dam keepers upriver have opened the flood gates and I am overwhelmed with love and thanksgiving for my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is beyond words and description, and yet I so want to communicate my love and thanksgiving for you.

 

In a moment of time I am back in the Food Mart grocery store in Georgetown, Washington City (that is old timer speak for D.C.), and Howard Wall is asking me, a fifteen year old, if I am a Christian, words that would lead me to Jesus Christ; then I am stationed in Germany and meeting Miguel Diaz at a Chapel service; then I’m in Haight Ashbury with the Jesus People; and down through the decades I go, vivid pictures and conversations and experiences and cups of coffee and laugher and excitement and challenges and valleys and dangerous rapids and placid lakes.

 

George Will, who introduced me to Andrew Murray, Bonhoeffer, Tozer and others when I was but a teenager (if George could do it, why can’t we do it?). Bruce Harrison who was a friend’s friend…how I miss hearing him call me “Bobby.” My own dear brother twice over, in the flesh and in the Spirit, Jim – who in the midst of his terminal illness sought to bring others to Jesus. Rod, my friend and brother-in-law, who on his last day on this planet was on the phone telling his friends about Jesus. Harry Hanger, who through ALS, with his dear wife Elaine, continued to share the Gospel with others and to strengthen his brethren.

 

I can see myself entering Dan Smick’s hospital room as he was terminally ill. When he opened his eyes and saw me sitting by his bed he smiled and said to me, “O Bob, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been thinking of new ways to reach Boston for Jesus.”

 

O dear friends, Jesus says that the overcomer will have “the name of the City of My God, the new Jerusalem” written on him. What is the City of God but the People of God? This morning I see through that translucent veil that there are many names written on me, inscribed in my heart and soul…and that these names merge into one great name, the City of God, the New Jerusalem – these names are distinctive and yet they are One in the Trinity.

 

And I hear and see John writing, “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

 

Our love for one another and our unity in the Trinity (John 13:34 – 35; 17:20 – 26) are the only hope the world has to see Jesus Christ and His love for them. We are called to live for one another in Jesus Christ – to lay down our lives for one another, as brothers and sisters of our one glorious Father (Heb. 2:9 – 13).

 

I have had experiences of Psalm 133 in my life, and how sweet they are; they are visions of that City descending from the heavens – actually they are living in that City.

 

This, my friends, is worth living for – it is worth everything that we may know Jesus and love one another. (Phil. 3:8 – 14; 2 Tim. 2:10; John 15:12 – 13). It is worth everything that we may bring others to Jesus.

 

We are called, not to live for ourselves, but for Jesus Christ and others. (Mark 8:34 – 38).

 

Is the name of the City of God, the New Jerusalem, being written on us today?

 

I love you!

 

Bob