Matthew 22:37-41: 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.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”(NKJV)
The goal of Christian instruction is love for God and one another out of a pure heart. 1 Timothy 1:5: The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. (NLT)
This love we talk about comes from a right relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and is birthed in us through the Holy Spirit who lives in us (Galatians 5:19-21). When we love, we meet the expectation of the Father as love is the fulfilling of the law of God (Romans 13:8-10).
To express this love, we first have to receive God’s love, to believe that He sent His Only Begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins. When we understand this love, we realize that we are indebted to the One who gave His life for us and begin to live for Him. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.(NKJV)
When we truly receive the love of the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are then able to give ourselves to Him and to others unselfishly and unconditionally (Phillipians 2:1-2). We are able to forgive others when they offend us because Jesus forgave us (Ephesians 4:31-32). We sacrifice our time and resources to serve others because Christ Jesus showed us the same example (Matthew 20:28).
Finally, to define true love, we have to carefully look into God’s word: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (NIV)
Take sometime to meditate on this scripture and ask the Lord to make real His nature of love for the Father and for everyone in your heart in Jesus name. Amen.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your amazing love. You died for me on the Cross of Calvary and rose again to give me a new life. Thank you for your divine nature of love that now resides in me. Please help me experience your love everyday of my life. Teach me how to love You and everyone around me in Jesus name. Amen.