Overflowing Love

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” - John 13:34

One of the greatest ways that we can show our love for God is to love one another. Over and over in the New Testament, we see the correlation between love for God and love for people. The two are so intertwined that 1 John 4:20 says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, Whom they have not seen.” Yikes! You know God means business when He calls someone a “liar.”

The word “love” is so overused in our culture. John 13:34 clearly communicates what God wants when He tells us to love one another. “As I have loved you,” Jesus says, “so you must love one another.” That is no easy love. How has Christ loved us? He has loved us unconditionally and sacrificially. He has loved us selflessly and faithfully. His love is unmerited and unwavering. This is how we have been loved; and this is how Christ wants us to love each other.

Is such love even possible for sinful humans? Not without Jesus. Thankfully, as His followers we have been given the Holy Spirit, Who empowers us to love in the same way that we have been loved. Does that mean it’s easy? Nope. Does that mean it feels natural? Absolutely not. But it does mean that it is possible. And it even means that it is something we can grow to desire and to joyfully offer…not because we are so good, but because God has been so good to us. The more we experience the good love of Jesus, the more we will want to offer that same love to others. Our love for others becomes an overflow of Christ’s love in us.

Have you experienced the fullness of God’s love through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? If so, are you following Christ’s command to love others the same way He has loved you?

God, thank You for loving me unconditionally when I did not deserve it. Please help me to obey Your command to love others the same way that You have loved me. I know that this is only possible by the power of Your Spirit living in me. In Jesus’ name, amen.