Love, a New Commandment

God Loves Us
God's Eternal, Preserving, Renewing Love

God's Love Manifested

John 13:31-35. The Message

A New Command

31-32 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God’s glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!
33 “Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I’m telling you: ‘Where I go, you are not able to come.’
34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

For Reflection

As important to the Christian community as it is, the Easter season is not just a ritualized celebration of the death and resurrection. Easter is a time to renew one's commitment to Christ and reflect on the nature of God as represented in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Christ's ministry was short, but its impact has provided a divine moral compass and guided millions of believers for over two thousand years.

More than the suffering of Christ on the cross, Easter is also the celebration of our rebirth in Christ and is filled with hope and God's promise for us to live free in a corrupting world by being obedient to God. The first act of obedience is to love as God loves.

Pray

Thank God for the life of God's Son, Jesus.  Pray that you will give time to the study and reflection on how the resurrected Christ has changed your life.  Pray for the courage and wisdom to practice The Way of Jesus.  Pray that your action will reveal God's love.