Our Chiefest Good: Exalted in Our Hearts Above All Else

As we exalt Christ in our hearts, He makes known more and more of Himself to us. He shows us where true Bread and Living Water are to be found – all in Him. He is all sufficient in all things. The world offers mere shadows but He is Substance, Who fills everything in every way. With Him, there is no wanting rather fullness. And we are dearly and greatly loved. He tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV): “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” 

It is a blessing to bring all our desires together to focus on one Object. Indeed, He is to be the object of our affections. To believers, Jesus is the Pearl of great price. We live to do His bidding as the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 1:20-21 (NIV): “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” The essence of the great Apostle’s life was to glorify Christ – making much of Him and bringing light to this dark world. We are called to do likewise. Much of Him and less of us.

Divine love enables – indeed bids us - to come boldly into God’s Presence as Jesus has washed away our sins with His perfect blood. We need not be fearful or doubtful of His love for us as He has proven it – over and over again. As Paul writes in Romans 8:31-32 (NIV): “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Indeed, there is an exceeding faithfulness and greatness of God’s love. His children are the apple of His eye. We do not approach Him as strangers for we belong to Him and He knows us by name. “You are mine,” says Jesus and “No one can snatch you out of my Hand”. And He is always willing to receive us. “Come”, says He. The Father did not spare His Son for us and the Son did not spare His life for us and the Holy Spirit does not spare His power from us. We are to come boldly before the throne of God, for despite our fears and the doubts of our hearts and Satan’s sick whispers in our ears, He loves us dearly and He loses none that are His. There is no pit so low that His mighty Hand cannot reach and draw near Him.