Love as I love you

Love as I love you

“I give you a new commandment:  love one another; just as I have loved you, you also must love one another.  By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples.”  (John 13: 34 – 35)

Jesus wants me to “love one another just as he has loved me.”  So his love for me is the standard that I will use for others.  It does presuppose that I know this standard.  How does Jesus love me?  How do I feel his love in my daily life?

I feel Christ’s presence and love through the activities of the Holy Spirit in me.  I enjoy steady peace and tranquility.  And I appreciate this very much.  I also have joy and consolation in my heart most of the time.  During the day, I experience light and guidance on numerous occasions.  These light and guidance come to me as practical wisdom, telling me how to achieve certain results.  When I follow the guidance, the consequence is always pleasing and I recognize the source of the idea.

The Holy Spirit also gives me a lot of encouragement when my mood is low.  This he does through uplifting scripture passages or through exciting relevant happy memories of victories in similar situations in the past.  There is also the gift of patience.  This is one of the gifts I cherish very much in my present situation.  Scriptures are given me on the need to be patient and biblical models of patience like Abraham are suggested to me.  Christ also shows his love for me through answers to my prayers and provision of my daily needs.

Now Jesus is saying to me to do all the above for others.  Am I able to do this?  The crucial question is:  am I willing to do it?  Yes, Lord if you will supply the grace.  In my daily interaction with people, I will try to be aware of the depth of Christ’s love for me and how he wants me to respond to this love.  I will try to lighten people’s burden and not make them heavier.  I will spread joy and peace and not sorrow.  I will counsel patience and faith.  I will do all these because this is how Jesus loves me.  Help me Jesus.