02 Nov How God’s Love Motivates us
In recent years, God has taught me how important it is to be motivated by the love of God and Jesus. When we know how loved we are, we are better able love our brothers and sisters in Christ—and to receive from them as well. This love shows the world that we are Jesus’ true disciples!
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34–35)
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”
(John 15:9–15)
In recent years, I have learned more about how deeply God and Jesus love each other, and how much they also love me. Their love enables me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ, rather than having to depend on my own personal strength! I love others not to earn the love of Jesus, but because He already graciously and deeply loves me. His love fills me up so that I have more love to give.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20–23)
When other people see our love for one another, expressed in the unity we share together, they see the power and love of God at work. Our love for one another helps bring others to faith. It shows them that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, and that God loves us all!
*Watch the video discussion HERE!
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