Chapter 3: The Longings of Love

Here is a little paragraph from Bernard of Clairvaux. He lived from 1090 to 1153 AD. Bernard is one of the greatest Christian authors, and his little book On Loving God is radiant with the reality of love for Jesus. Some of it is hard to read, but some of it is so easy and beautiful to read. It will rock your life.

In a little diamond of a paragraph, Bernard writes,

But the believing soul longs and faints for God. She rests sweetly in the contemplation of him. She glories in the reproach of the cross, until the glory of His face shall be revealed. Like the bride, the dove of Christ, that is covered with silver wings, white with innocence and purity, she reposes in the thought of Your abundant kindness, Lord Jesus.

(I love how Bernard is initially just writing to the reader there, but then he turns around and starts talking to Jesus – “Your abundant kindness…” Christ’s love is not a theory for him. It invades his writing to the point that he has to turn around, redirect, and address his beloved Jesus!)

Bernard goes on:

And above all, she longs for that day when in the joyful splendor of Your saints, gleaming with the radiance of the beatific vision, her feathers shall be like gold, resplendent with the joy of Your countenance.

Just look at the verbs that Bernard uses here: “the believing soul LONGS…FAINTS…RESTS …GLORIES…REPOSES…LONGS…” These actions are not contradictory. They find their perfect harmony in simple love for Jesus.

I wanted to show you this little glorious paragraph from Bernard so that you might come to love Jesus more. Let's see him as so worthy. Let's take time and give it to him. Let's take the warmth of our heart and give it to him – longing, fainting, resting, glorying, reposing, longing again…

Let’s just stop and love Him. Love Him in everything, every moment. Give all of your love to the Lovely One. Love the Most Lovely of lovely ones. Give Him love. Receive His love. Give every part of your life to love him – your best, your faith, your business, your busyness, your work, your church life, your community, your everything, your heart, your mind, your soul, your strength. Give all of this to the act of loving Him. And then kick back and be loved by Him – repose in his love.

Thank you, Jesus, for your love. Thank you. We rest there. We calm our hearts in your presence. You are so kind. You are so near. You are so beautiful, Jesus. Thank you.