BUILT UP AND BUILT IN
When we eat Jesus, all the nourishing elements of His life give us the metabolism which produces all kinds of expressions in our human conduct. This is especially true in the small things. By these experiences we are not only built up, but also built in. If others try to pull us out of the church, they cannot do it. To pull us out they would have to pull out the whole church, for we are built in. I am burdened for those who are on the outskirts of the church life. If they are not built in by experiencing the humanity of Christ, Satan will tempt them to leave the church. But, praise the Lord, Christ is such a One whom we can experience! I can tell you that for the past forty years I have been solidly built in. There is such a real thing as the building up. Even if others were to kill me, they could not pull me out of the church life.
The longer we stay in the church life, the more our peculiarity is exposed. All the saints are peculiar. Without the church, we might consider ourselves quite normal, but after being in the church life for a time, we begin to realize that we are peculiar and even abnormal. We need the transformation which comes by eating. The more we are transformed, the more we can fit into the situation, and the more we can make allowances for others. Then we are really built in.
The Lord’s recovery is just the building up, and by the Lord’s mercy we are in it. This is a real shame to the enemy and a glory to the Lord! Nothing is so glorious to the Lord Jesus as the building. And this is why nothing satisfies us like the proper church life. How He is satisfied with the building! And how much we ourselves have been satisfied! When we are satisfied, it is a sign that He is satisfied. On the other hand, when we are not satisfied, He is not satisfied. Both we and the Lord can only be satisfied with the building. Praise the Lord! There is no other way. This is the only way to prepare for His coming back. The Lord is going to build up the church in many places to shame the enemy and prepare His Bride. This is the Lord’s building today, and many more are going to be built in. Although we do not care for numbers, I do believe that we will see a large number of good, solid ones added to the building. This is the Lord’s recovery today. May the Lord grant us the sufficient grace for this purpose.
I love Thee, Jesus,
And Thy love to me
Draws me, ever to seek Thee
And run after Thee,
Draws me, ever to seek Thee
And run after Thee.
Thou art beloved,
Yea! altogether lovely,
The One in whom my heart delighteth.
(Repeat last 3 lines of each verse)
Thy love, Lord Jesus,
Is sweeter than wine,
And Thy fragrance of ointments
My heart doth entwine,
And Thy fragrance of ointments
My heart doth entwine.
A fount in gardens,
A well of living waters,
Which streams and flows from Lebanon’s mountains.
O come Beloved,
On my garden blow,
That the odor of spices
May break forth and flow,
That the odor of spices
May break forth and flow.
My spouse, my sister,
I’m come into my garden
To feast upon wine, milk, and honey.
Set me, Lord Jesus,
A seal on Thine heart,
Jealousy’s cruel as Sheol,
And love’s strong as death
Jealousy’s cruel as Sheol,
And love’s strong as death.
Much water cannot
Quench love, nor do floods drown it.
All man could give for love is contemned.
(Life and Building as Portrayed in the Song of Songs, Chapter 16, by Witness Lee)
