Scripture
Now I tell you to love one another as I have loved you.
Observation
The greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another.
A world-changing, history making movement was to be born in this commandment ro love one another.
Jesus raises us from slaves and servants of God to friends of God. We are the insiders, the chosen ones.
Application
I should never feel insecure about my status with God. I don't have to prove myself acceptable to Him because He loved me long before I was born.
But this places on my the great responsibility of loving those whom God loves with the same love He loves me with. Unconditional, faithful, self-denying love to all the brothers and sisters.
Easy to say. Hard to do, often.
The goal of all christian community is to live in that quality of love.
It takes a lifetime of surrender to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to burn out of us the sinful nature and to heal us of the hurts of our lives.
But it starts with the determination to live the life of love.
Prayer
Father, let your love consume me and re-fire me. Let me be a channel of your love, allowing it to flow from you to me to others. Amen.
Oh my favorite! That's what it boils down to.... love God, love others. Can't go wrong with that!
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
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