THE KEY TO MISSIONARY DEVOTION

"For His name's sake they went forth." 3John 7

Our Lord has told us how love to Him is to manifest itself.
"Lovest thou Me?" "Feed My sheep" - identify yourself with
My interests in other people, not, identify Me with your
interests in other people. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 gives the
character of this love, it is the love of God expressing itself.
The test of my love for Jesus is the practical one, all the
rest is sentimental jargon.

Loyalty to Jesus Christ is the supernatural work of Redemption
wrought in me by the Holy Ghost Who sheds abroad the love of God
in my heart, and that love works efficaciously through me in
contact with everyone I meet. I remain loyal to His Name although
every common-sense fact gives the lie to Him, and declares that
He has no more power than a morning mist.

The key to missionary devotion means being attached to nothing
and no one saving Our Lord Himself, not being detached from things
externally. Our Lord was amazingly in and out among ordinary things;
His detachment was on the inside towards God. External detachment
is often an indication of a secret vital attachment to the things
we keep away from externally.

The loyalty of a missionary is to keep his soul concentratedly
open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women
Our Lord sends out on His enterprises are the ordinary human stuff,
plus dominating devotion to Himself wrought by the Holy Ghost.