April 7

I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. — Hos 14:5 BSB

Sometimes the Lord, without applying His word with great and powerful distinction to the heart, causes His truth to drop with a measure of sweetness into the soul. This is like rain or dew, as He graciously declared, “My teaching shall drop as the rain; My speech shall distill as the dew” (Deut. 32:2). The dropping of His teaching like rain and the distilling of His speech as dew kindle a love for the truth in the soul. Wherever this is felt, there is salvation, for we read of those who perish that “they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:10).

There is a difference between receiving the truth and receiving the love of the truth. These two things differ widely. Simply receiving the truth will not necessarily save a person, for many receive the truth without receiving the love of it. Thousands of professing believers receive the truth into their intellect and adopt the plan of salvation as their creed, but they are neither saved nor sanctified by it. But when the love of the truth is received through the truth being made sweet and precious to the soul, salvation itself is received. This is how the gospel becomes the power of God unto salvation. Therefore, the Apostle says of “the preaching of the cross” that “it is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” It is impossible to feel this power without being drawn toward the Lord, leading the soul out of every evil thing and causing it to cling to the Lord with purpose of heart.