More love to Thee...

"More love to Thee, O Christ..." This has been the cry of my heart over the past few weeks.

One of our dearest friends and my husband's spiritual father called us last night. I picked up the phone, so we chatted for a few minutes before I got Scott. Brother Jerry, as we call him, asked me, "How's that little red head of yours?" (He knows Sophie is a little spunky.) In reply, I asked him that he would pray for me to love Christ more and to love my husband and children more.

Brother Jerry wrote my request down as we spoke and then added that in all of his years of walking with the Lord he has come to discover that we can only love others as much as we love Christ. In other words, our love for others, including our love for our husbands and children, will never exceed our love for Christ.

And so my prayer continues, that I will love Christ more and myself less. I echo the words of Elisabeth Prentiss' 19th century hymn:

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!