FollowingJesus.me

“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

As I write today, other verses of Scripture come swirling in…

It is not what goes into a person that makes them unclean. But what comes out of a person, out of their heart makes them unclean. (Matthew 15:11-20)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love… (Galatians 5:22)

God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)

As I reflect on the “new command” of Jesus and these additional verses, Holy Spirit is simultaneously communicating two things:1. A question – “Darrell, are you as loving as you should be and why?”2. A reminder – “The very nature of your Father, of the Jesus you follow, of the Spirit with whom you fellowship… our very nature is LOVE.”

In reflection, I know I can have moments of being as unloving and judgmental as anyone. I also know this needs to change. Holy Spirit knows me well and knows I will see the issue and mostly try to work harder to “fix it.” I’ll work on being more loving.

This is where the reminder comes in. I cannot work on being more loving. I am not the source of love. I cannot work up or create more love. My Father is the source of love, God is love. To be more loving, I need to spend more time with Him and receive more of His love for me. My work is to surrender my selfishness and pride to Jesus and allow Him full access to my life. As I walk with Him and walk in His love, I am filled with His love. Being full of His love, it starts to pour out of me and onto those around me, even those who are “unlovable.”

When I start to notice (or my spouse helps me see) that I am running short on love, my response cannot be to try harder. My response has to be, “I must be neglecting time with my Father and soaking in HIs love.” My response has to be to make time to go back to the fountain, the source of love, and drink it in.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for your GOODNESS and your LOVE! It is your kindness that leads me to repentance. Thank you for reminding me that (in the words of the song) “the only thing that’s good in me is Jesus.” Thank you for reminding me that all the work I need to do YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE.

Jesus, you have accomplished the work for me, now, through your Spirit, do your work in me. Help me to spend time with you, not just reading and listening and writing and praying, but also just sitting and enjoying your presence and your love. Afterward, help me to love others as you have loved me. Jesus, thank you for your LOVE!