He further assures us that, by keeping His commandments, we shall
continue in that sweet home and safe stronghold of His love. Of
course the keeping of the commandments is something more than mere
outward conformity by action. It is the inward harmony of will, and
the bowing of the whole nature. It is, in fact, the same thing
(though considered under a different aspect, and from a somewhat
different point of view), as He has already been speaking about as
the 'fruit' of the vine, by the bearing of which the Father is
glorified. And this obedience, the obedience of the hands because the
heart obeys, and does so because it loves, the bowing of the will in
glad submission to the loved and holy will of the heavens--this
obedience is the condition of our continuing in Christ's love.

He will love us better, the more we obey His commandments, for
although His tender heart is charged towards all, even the
disobedient, with the love of pity and of desire to help, He cannot
but feel a growing thrill of satisfied and gratified affection
towards us, in the measure in which we become like Himself. The love
that wept over us, when we were enemies, will 'rejoice over us with
singing,' when we are friends. The love that sought the sheep when it
was wandering will pour itself yet more tenderly and with selector
gifts upon it when it follows in the footsteps of the flock, and
keeps close at the heels of the Good Shepherd. 'If ye keep My
commandments, ye shall abide in My love,' so we will put nothing
between us and Him which will make it impossible for the tenderest
tenderness of that holy love to come to your hearts.

The obedience which we render for love's sake will make us more
capable of receiving, and more blessedly conscious of possessing, the
love of Jesus Christ. The lightest cloud before the sun will prevent