What does that mean for my life? To me, it means that I will show love first – and that is the message I have received from God my entire Christian walk. There are some things that I just “don’t know”, or that I will never memorize everything, but I do know that the Holy Spirit will never leave me and will always advise me toward the right path. I am grateful for my heart; and who has my heart; who I wholly belong to.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” ~John 15:12 (NIV)
“Love each other”, simply said, yet it is one of the commands that so many miss – I remember when I was first saved, I did not feel that love from other Christians; I experienced, judgment and correction, more than tenderness and compassion. And, a prayer I pray often is, “Father, thank You for revealing Your love so graciously; thank You for giving me Your example through so many brothers and sisters who are in my life today. Lord, give me Your eyes so I can see through to compassion and through pain and hurt so that I can truly be loving, even to those not so loveable.”
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ~John 13:34-35 (NIV)
Today, my pleas are for those who see their Christian walk as a license to judge and correct above the command to love. “Give them eyes to see through to compassion and through the pain and hurt, so that they too can be truly loving, even to those not so loveable.”
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)
And, I would like to make sure that I understand my Father’s command – that I can love like Jesus. I know that many times, this is only possible with the power of the Holy Spirit – who gives me strength to love, compassion to love greatly and the heart ready to change so I can love those I cannot love on my own.
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” ~1 John 4:20
Help me see You and love like You on this path.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” ~John 3:16-17 (NIV)
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