June 19

But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— — John 1:12 BSB

When faith is given to the soul to "receive" Christ, it is always accompanied by love for the Lord of life and glory. Sometimes, even when we cannot clearly see our faith, we can discern its existence by recognizing the secret workings of love for the Savior in our hearts. The soul, touched by grace, will experience moments when its affections are drawn out toward Jesus. From time to time, He gives the soul a glimpse of Himself. He reveals Himself, as Scripture says, "through the lattice," perhaps passing by quickly, but leaving a fleeting glimpse of His beauty, His finished work, His dying love, and His atoning blood. These glimpses stir the heart and draw out every affection of the soul, creating a longing to follow hard after Him.

At such times, whether lying in bed, going about our business, or engaging in other activities, or even under the preaching of the word or while reading Scripture, the Lord works in the heart. There is a softening, a gentle stirring of love and affection toward Him. The soul prefers Him above all else—more than gold or silver—and desires nothing as much as the inward experience of His love, grace, and the power of His blood.

This is how a living soul "receives" Christ—not just out of necessity, but out of love. The soul doesn't merely turn to Christ as an escape from the wrath to come or to avoid the fires of hell, but there is a deep, genuine affection mingled with this necessity. The soul finds in Christ the only one worthy of its heart's affections, its spirit's worship, and its soul's desires. This, I believe, is the true meaning of the Scripture when it speaks of "receiving Christ."