Day 2: A New Command of Love
Reading: 1 John 4:7-21, John 13:31-35
Our love for each other is the unmistakable sign of Christ's work in us.
Devotional:
Jesus gave us a new commandment: to love one another as He has loved us. This command to love goes beyond feelings or preferences and challenges us to act, even when it's complicated. In 1 John 4, we see the profound depth of God's love for us—a love that initiates, sacrifices and transforms. This love is not simply for our benefit but is meant to flow through us to others, especially those we find difficult to love.
Jesus' example was radical: He loved us when we were unworthy and incapable of returning His love. His love was selfless, lasting, impartial, and sacrificial. He did not reserve His love for the lovable or those who could repay Him but loved all equally, even those who would deny or betray Him.
Reflecting on this, how does understanding the vastness of God’s love for you change your ability to love others?
Loving others as Jesus loved means more than occasional acts of kindness. It calls for a lifestyle marked by selflessness, patience, forgiveness, and grace. Loving others sometimes means sacrificing our time, comfort, or pride. It may involve forgiving the unforgivable or loving those who challenge us deeply. But through this love, we become living testimonies of Christ’s reality.
Remember, the love you show is a testimony to the world. When Christians love each other as Christ loved them, it is the unmistakable sign that Christ’s work is alive within us. The world, fractured and hurting, takes notice when we love with the radical love of Jesus. This love isn’t just a sign for fellow believers; it’s a message to a watching world that Jesus is real and His love can transform.
Reflection:
- How can you more fully embrace the sacrificial nature of Christ’s love in your relationships?
- Who in your life is difficult to love, and how can you ask God to help you extend His love to them?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving me unconditionally and sacrificially. Help me to understand the depth of Your love more deeply so that I may love others with that same depth. Fill me with Your love today, especially for those I find difficult to love. Let my love for others be a reflection of Your presence in my life, and may it draw people closer to You. Amen.
Our love for each other is the unmistakable sign of Christ's work in us.
Have a Wonderful Tuesday.
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