As He Loves
“Love one another as I love you.”
We’ve all heard it a million times - love one another as Jesus loves. It rolls off of the tongue, and it gets cross-stitched on pillows. It might be easy to say, but it’s hard to live.
My knee-jerk reaction isn’t to love others as Jesus does - with a selfless love. My first instinct is to look out for myself - to make myself the number one priority and to cater my schedule and energy and finances to fit my needs. And when I do that, I’m not loving like Jesus loved. When I do that, I’m loving no one but myself.
Jesus loved with the Father’s love.
Jesus loved when it wasn’t comfortable and when it wasn’t easy. He loved when it was inconvenient and when it was expensive. Unlike my imperfect love, Jesus’ love was never encumbered by selfishness - and it was always connected to the Father.
Sisters, if we want to love as Jesus loved, we have to live connected to the Father. Jesus made it a point to glorify His Father all throughout scripture - to teach about Him up, to give Him honor, and to partner with Him in miracles. Jesus could have worked miracles by His own strength, but He chose communion. Jesus chose to live fully connected to the Father. If we truly want to emulate Christ, we have to do as He did - and everything He did was fully connected to the Father.
Father,
Thank You for loving us with selfless love. Thank You for giving Yourself to us fully - not withholding any of Your love. Thank You for surrendering Yourself for love.
Teach us how to live fully connected to You all the time - no matter what’s happening around us. Teach us how to see with Your eyes and bring Your love to the people around us.
God, we love You. Teach us to love like You. Amen.