We are a called-out people just as Israel of old. The Lord adds to the Church daily such as should be saved. Every member of the Body of Christ is a gift of the Father to the Son, and when we come to Christ He does not cast us out (John 6:37). If we are to understand the true quality of the Church, and the attitude of the Father toward the Church, we must realize every member of the Church is hand-picked and presented to Christ by the Father.

"be with me where I am;"

Christ is on the highest throne of the universe. He is at the right hand of God Almighty. There is no greater throne. Christ has all authority in Heaven and on the earth. He is exalted to a point past the ability of the mind of man to conceive. Yet, He has summoned us to this level. How can that be? It is the unfathomable love of Christ for His Bride that so commands.

"that they may behold my glory,"

When we speak of the Glory of Christ we have only a faint idea of what we are describing. The Glory of Christ is so stupendous that the most exalted of the angels in the highest level of Heaven draw back in awe and fear whenever Christ is exercised. The communication between the Father and the Son is so wrapped in Divine fire that none of the heavenly host can bear to witness the exchange. It is the Glory that upholds the stars in their courses, billions of which are larger than our sun.

The Glory of Christ is absolutely unimaginable and unapproachable in its staggering extent. It cannot be described in the language of humans. His Presence and authority fill all things and extend into infinity and eternity. He created all things and can destroy all things just as easily and quickly.

"that thou hast given me:"

The Father has given His Glory to Christ. But since the Father and Christ are in perfect unity, the Glory remains with the Father. When the Church reaches maturity it will become one with Christ and the Father and receive the fullness of the Glory of God. God will not give His Glory to another. We must become one with Him in order to receive His Glory.

"for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."

We do not know much about Christ as He was before the world was founded. We do know "all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3). It appears the "Lord" of the Old Testament, in many instances (perhaps in every instance), was Christ, and that it was His Spirit who spoke through the Prophets of Israel (I Peter 1:11).

Christ was before Abraham. He spoke the worlds into existence. He was the Word in the beginning. He was with God and was God. Before the world was founded the Father loved the Son.

Then there came into the mind of the Father a concept of the perfect Church, the Bride and Body of Christ. God proceeded to set in motion the forces that would in time bring a perfect "wife" for the Lamb, a counterpart who herself would be as the Lamb—in His image in every detail. Everything that has happened since that time has been for the purpose of bringing forth the Wife of the Lamb. All of this has come about because of the love of the Father for the Son.

To be continued.