The Children for Christ by Andrew Murray

lambs — `Do you love me?’ This is the provision Jesus has made for the
lambs: true love to Jesus can do the work.
Let every parent who longs to know how he can obtain the needed
qualification for his work, give in his name for this examination. Let
Jesus search your heart — once, twice, a third time — until the
remembrance of past unfaithfulness brings tears, and the answer
comes, ‘Lord, You know all things, You know that I do love You.’ Alas! it
is this that is the blight of so many a Christian home — the conscious,
fervent, and confessed love of Jesus is wanting. Nothing influences a
child like love: the warmth of a holy love to Jesus will make itself felt.
There may be a great deal of religion, and of teaching, and of praying; it
is only love that will conquer. Love to Jesus will lead to obey Him very
carefully, to walk with Him very closely, to trust Him very heartily. Love
to Jesus will make the desire to please Him very strong, and the charge
He gives us to keep very precious. Love to Jesus will make our testimony
of Him very personal. The food with which we feed the lambs will have
the warmth of a Divine love about it. Jesus wants parents who love Him,
who love Him with their whole heart and strength: this is the provision
He has thought out for His little lambs.
The religion of Jesus is a religion of love. Of the Father it is said, `God is
love.’ Jesus Himself is the gift of a love that passes knowledge. His own
life and work is one of love — love stronger than death. When the Holy
Spirit comes to us He sheds abroad in our hearts the love of God. Our
whole relation to the Divine is to be one of love. And our relation as
parents and children was meant to be one of love. It was to restore this
that Jesus came. And He does it by calling parents to love Himself, and
then, receiving the little ones in His name, for His sake, and in the
fervor of His love, to take charge of them. The love of earth He purifies
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