The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 15:17,
"This is my command: Love each other."
Jesus quite simply told his followers to love one another. This is his command. In a beautiful passage where he speaks of the atmosphere, the climate of love that we are to dwell within with him and the Father, he says, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." Verses 9-12.
An ever expanding universe of love awaits those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith in the next life, an expanse of love that envelopes us all together with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and all the heavenly host that communes there.
However, the Lord is not content with us not living out this love now, in this nasty, sinful, estranged and rebellious world. The love Jesus asks of us is to be manifested in this life because it furthers his agenda of redeeming all who are willing. We show the world who Jesus Christ is by our expression of love towards one another. We show our lives have been impacted by him, a change within us has been wrought.
And, this he says, brings him joy! "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Would any of us want to withhold from him the joy he anticipates in his people? And, who would not want to have the joy within themselves the Lord gives as we obey him?
Here is how we are capable of loving one another: "We love because he first loved us." John 4:19.
Here is an insightful note from the NIV Quest Study Bible, "There will always be individuals who try our patience and stretch our capacity to love. It's helpful to realize that God enables us to love others (1Jn 4:19). Jesus does not command us to feel a certain way; he commands us to show love to one another through our actions."
"This is my command: Love each other."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"This is my command: Love each other."
Jesus quite simply told his followers to love one another. This is his command. In a beautiful passage where he speaks of the atmosphere, the climate of love that we are to dwell within with him and the Father, he says, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." Verses 9-12.
An ever expanding universe of love awaits those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith in the next life, an expanse of love that envelopes us all together with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and all the heavenly host that communes there.
However, the Lord is not content with us not living out this love now, in this nasty, sinful, estranged and rebellious world. The love Jesus asks of us is to be manifested in this life because it furthers his agenda of redeeming all who are willing. We show the world who Jesus Christ is by our expression of love towards one another. We show our lives have been impacted by him, a change within us has been wrought.
And, this he says, brings him joy! "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Would any of us want to withhold from him the joy he anticipates in his people? And, who would not want to have the joy within themselves the Lord gives as we obey him?
Here is how we are capable of loving one another: "We love because he first loved us." John 4:19.
Here is an insightful note from the NIV Quest Study Bible, "There will always be individuals who try our patience and stretch our capacity to love. It's helpful to realize that God enables us to love others (1Jn 4:19). Jesus does not command us to feel a certain way; he commands us to show love to one another through our actions."
"This is my command: Love each other."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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