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This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

John 15:12 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.15.12.NLT

 How does Jesus love us? It is an important question for one simple reason: Jesus told His disciples to love each other in the same way He loved them.

This short reflection will only get us started on how Jesus loves us for another simple reason: Jesus’ love, and the understanding of it, grows in us over the course of a lifetime.

Here are a few things we know about Jesus’ love for all of us:

• Jesus came to us so we could know Him. Loving each other involves coming to each other so that we can have genuine and authentic relationships filled with compassion.
• Jesus spent concentrated time with His disciples. Loving each other requires significant investment of time and shared experiences together.
• Jesus focused his time and energy on God the Father’s will. Loving each other as Jesus loves us includes a constant focus on following God and His direction for our lives. We invite those around us to follow God together.
• Jesus, through ultimate sacrifice, provides a better way to be restored to God. Loving each other invites people to receive the great sacrifice of Jesus. We give His forgiveness to others as an act of love. We sacrifice in relationships to make things better as a reflection of God’s sacrificial love for us.
• Jesus showed us how to live. Loving each other includes helping each other live well. Jesus gives us powerful examples in every area of life on how to live, pray, think, act, and be. He shows us how to deal with power, religion, racism, conflict, and money (just to name a few). He gives us a different way of thinking (bless those who hate you and pray for those who persecute you).

Encouragement: What makes it possible to love each other as Jesus loved us? It begins with our humble acceptance of Jesus in our lives. Loving each other continues with the presence of the Holy Spirit living within us. God’s word, prayer, and community with others following God are also key on this journey of loving each other as Jesus loved us.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for speaking these words about loving each other to Your disciples. Thank You for having them recorded in the Bible for all of us to know. Thank You challenging us to love each other in the same way You love us. Admittedly we need Your help in this. Holy Spirit, help us. May we live Your love out with everyone we meet and live with today. In Your name Jesus we pray, Amen.

-Ed McDowell, Executive Director
Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center