WATCHWORD:
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love just as I obey my father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes your joy will overflow. This is my commandment: love each other in the same way i have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:10-13
Meditation:
Love Everyone?
Comments on love heard along the way: I loved that movie. I love my dog. Love your music. I love chicken livers. I love my recliner. I loved what the pastor said about sin. And of course there are those who love their garden, their house, their neighbors, or the way the paper is delivered to their house, the sun in the morning, the moon at night, et cetera, et cetera. And so it goes. Love is limitless. Right?
Oswald Chambers tells us: “Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don’t know what we mean when we talk about love.” Is that true?
Chambers’ comment is confusing. If I really think about it, the true meaning of love is somehow lost on us, among all those expressions. I thought I knew, I mean, I did until it kicked me in the heart. I still believe that love is the loftiest preference of one person for another, and, spiritually, Jesus demands that this sovereign preference be for Himself.
When we first heard that the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, it’s easy to put Jesus first. But then we must practice the things that are mentioned in John and see them worked out in our lives.
Intellectually, most of us would say that God is love and therefore that’s why he loves us. But do we act that way? There are some who think that we must follow all the rules in order to be loved. But that belies our first statement that we know that God is love, and loving us is His nature, it is what He is. It’s a spiritual fact that God loves me not because I am lovable, but because God is love. Then he turns around and gives us a new commandment which is a lofty goal. He commands us to show the same love to others as He shows to us.
That second part is hard; about loving others as God loves me. I mean, I count my blessings and I’m grateful for all that is wonderfully given me, and I feel that love. But to turn around and show all of that to everyone. Everyone? Oh, boy. What about those who irritate us? Or, those who are waging war on Jews or those who do not look like us, nor act like us, nor talk like us. Love them, too?
Exactly. His command is not hard to understand. This is the true work of a Christian and it is not easy. We can’t parse out or select those elements of our Christian walk that we like and find comfortable and can enjoy doing, and simply ignore all the rest; those people. We tend to ignore the fact that love, God’s divine love, will remain and grow in me only if it’s nurtured.
We have to practice loving. That does not mean we must love your friend’s music, or her dog, or chicken livers, and maybe what your Pastor said about sin actually made you uncomfortable. That is not the point, of course. Read the commandment. Love others as I have loved you. Don’t cloud the issue, we are taking about loving other people. Practice that.
Three Steps Along the Road to Happy:
Don’t spend Today worrying about Tomorrow. Just wait, Tomorrow will become Today and then you can give it your all.
Think it through with your head, but decide with your heart.
Fake a positive attitude long enough and it will become a habit.
Prayer to Follow Jesus:
Heavenly Father, soften our hearts, grant us full hearing, and full sight, and full understanding of your commandments. Take from us the tendency to follow you in areas that are more comfortable, that are easy and where we won’t be recognized as following you. Give me a bold, compassionate heart, and take that pride from me, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
