One of the greatest challenges in life is to love others the way Jesus loved us- by laying down His life for us.1 John 3:16 "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
Why is it that people are so hard to love? That so much miscommunication comes in?
The reason it is so hard to love others is our flesh- let's admit it, we're selfish sinful beings; who are only good because of Jesus' blood and grace. Jesus calls us to freedom (Gal 5:1; John 8:36) however we must use this freedom to lay down our lives for others the way Jesus laid down His life for us. Gal 5:13 "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another"
Part of the reason there is miscommunication is because there is great power in unity- that is why Jesus last prayer for believers (see John 17).
However I am firmly convinced that we can NOT truly love others if we don't love God first. Mat 22v37- 39 "Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
However we can NOT love God without first receiving love from Him. 1 John 4:19 "We love Him because He first loved us." Thus my conclusion is that to love others we need to receive and to start understanding His great amazing love for us- which is only possible through His spirit. Eph 3: 17 "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
"Holy Spirit please shed God's love abroad in our hearts; may we start to know how wide how deep, how great you're love is for us. Help us to lay down our lives, and use our freedom to love others and serve others the way Jesus served us and His disciples. Father we desire to know You're love, You're heart- take us deeper; that we may reflect more and more of you. Thank you Jesus for you're great love which is too great to understand- may I love in this love. Amen"
The Lord bless and keep you in His great love,
may His loving face shine upon you;
may He give you and you're loved ones peace.
