Let Love Rule
Opening Prayer
Tell God how much you love him and ponder on his love for you.
Read John 13:31–38
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
New International Version (NIV)
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Reflect
“Love is a fire that will burn through every difficulty” (Andrew Murray, 1828–1917).At this critical moment, shortly before he will be taken captive (33), what does Jesus most want to stress to his disciples? What does he want to settle in their hearts? To love each other, just as he has loved them (34). He had set the pattern. He had walked the walk. He had showed them what love looked like over the previous three years and now he gives them a clear command which, if followed, would set them apart from the whole world (35). Panicked by Jesus’ sudden gravity, Peter blurts out a cry of loyalty, but Jesus knew Peter’s heart better than Peter (37,38).
If we read 1 Corinthians 13, we get a breakdown of what love looks like, and it could be a description of Jesus. To love each other like this, in the way that Jesus has commanded us, can’t be done through our own efforts and will. To love like this takes God’s love to change us. When we receive his love he gives us the ability to love others. Through his life, death and resurrection, Jesus has made it possible for God to pour his love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5), and out of that overflow, we can love others. We can love like Jesus commanded us when we are powered by God’s resources, not our own.
Apply
Read 1 Corinthians 13 and make a list of the characteristics of love. How can you work on developing one of those aspects today?
Closing prayer
Holy Spirit, pour Your love into my heart. Help me to love others as Jesus commanded.
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