Chapter 205—Giving and Receiving
Freely ye have received, freely give.
Matthew 10:8
.
Jesus said, “The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life” (
John 4:14
). As the Holy Spirit opens to
you the truth you will treasure up the most precious experiences and will
long to speak to others of the comforting things that have been revealed to
you. When brought into association with them you will communicate some
fresh thought in regard to the character or the work of Christ. You will have
some fresh revelation of His pitying love to impart to those who love Him
and to those who love Him not....
The heart that has once tasted the love of Christ, cries out continually
for a deeper draft, and as you impart you will receive in richer and more
abundant measure. Every revelation of God to the soul increases the capacity
to know and to love. The continual cry of the heart is, “More of Thee,”
and ever the Spirit’s answer is, “Much more”.... To Jesus, who emptied
Himself for the salvation of lost humanity, the Holy Spirit was given without
measure. So it will be given to every follower of Christ when the whole
heart is surrendered for His indwelling. Our Lord Himself has given the
command, “Be filled with the Spirit” (
Ephesians 5:18
), and this command
is also a promise of its fulfillment. It was the good pleasure of the Father
that in Christ should “all the fullness dwell,” and “in him ye are made full”
(
Colossians 1:19
, R.V.;
2:10
, R.V.).
The more of the Spirit of God, the more of His grace, is brought into our
daily experience, the less friction there will be, the more happiness we shall
have, and the more we shall impart to others.
Christ is the great center, the source of all strength.... The most intelligent,
the most spiritually minded, can bestow only as they receive. Of themselves
they can supply nothing for the needs of the soul. We can impart only that
which we receive from Christ; and we can receive only as we impart to others.
As we continue imparting, we continue to receive; and the more we impart,
the more we shall receive. Thus we may be constantly believing, trusting,
receiving, and imparting.
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