See the love of the Father -- to be called children of God. by Matthew Mead

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 1 John 3:1

Our present enjoyments should be a window for the soul to see the goodness of God.  Faith can see divine goodness and bounty beaming through every mercy, but to rest in present mercies is to make them our idols.  Whatever you love, let it also be your fear.  Fear will bridle it lest it steals your heart from God.  If what you love is not also your fear, it will be your loss and sorrow.  If Samson had feared his Delilah as much as he loved her, he would have saved both his locks and his life.  You will find whatever you over-love to be a cross or a curse.  Live above the pleasures of sense; we have a nobler delight.  We have God to delight in and Christ to comfort us.  What a poor thing it is to satisfy your soul with the delights of brutes.  They have no peace with God, no joy in the Holy Spirit, no peace of conscience, and no hope of glory.  Is not the greatest ground of joy imaginable to have a name written in heaven?  This is a truer cause of rejoicing than anything this world can afford.  Riches and honours are no proofs of God’s love.  A man may have life, but be dead in sin; he may be rich, yet be wretched; he may have children, and yet be under the wrath of God.  The names of the greatest part of the world are written in the dust.  They have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.  A name in heaven is only the portion of a few, and a special privilege and cause of rejoicing indeed.  We are his adopted children.  What greater ground of joy imaginable is there than this?  With God as our portion, all he is and all he has is our inheritance.  We have title to all our Father’s riches and honours.  God is our Father forever.  How we should rejoice in this!  To be a son or daughter of God, our everlasting Father, is the highest title in the world.