Expressions of Love

I've been rereading Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer and came across this section which he relates to the greatest commandments as given to the Pharisees by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-40.

If, then, we love God--Father, Son and Spirit--for all that They have done for us, we shall muster all our initiative and enterprise to make the most that we can of every situation for Their glory--and one chief way of doing this is to seek out ways and means of spreading the gospel, and obeying the divine command to make disciples everywhere. Similarly, if we love our neighbor, we shall muster all of our initiative and enterprise to find ways and means of doing him good. And one chief way of doing him good is to share with him our knowledge of Christ.

J.I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, p. 79

And that made me think of this great hymn which is another of my favourites.

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

Refrain

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

Refrain

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

Refrain

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

Refrain

A. Catherine Hankey, 1866

Tune: Hankey, William G. Fischer, 1869

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