Though God has no need of us for the fullness of His being, He has need of us for the satisfaction of His love. Though we can add nothing to Him, nor take anything away, yet He entrusts Himself and His cause to us, that He may have the joy of receiving, and we the blessedness of giving, willing service. His love is very tender, but it is bracing, not indulgent. He is Love, and knows love to be the best thing that there is; therefore, for love's sake, He will be very stern with us when we turn away from that best. That we should become content with our selfishness would be the worst thing that could happen to us, and He relentlessly besets the way of selfishness with calamity that men may not sink back into the slough from which His love is ever calling them.