Do You Love Christ?

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
John 14:15

Jesus taught that our claims to love Him are only as good as our obedience to His commands. Often, human notions of love are romanticized and emphasize feelings and emotions. We think about loving God when we feel like we do. Jesus insists that if we want to claim to love Him, we will obey Him. It’s not about how we feel, it’s about obedience to Jesus’ commands.

What does He command? Chiefly, that we love one another as He has loved us. This is not an easy command to follow, but it is a fitting response to the great love Jesus showed for us by dying for our sins and being raised for our justification (Ro. 4:25). Since we have received such a great love from Jesus; now we are to extend it to others.

Think: action! God’s love always results in taking actions, such as helping, caring, healing, giving, and making peace. Such a love moves beyond feelings, and well beyond polite words and good wishes. God’s love compels us to care about other people and their needs, looking past their faults, praying for their well-being, and seeking their highest good. This is the love that Jesus commands us to show towards one another. When we do this, we know that we love Christ.

Prayer: Father, help me to take Christ’s command to love seriously. Show me where I am falling short of it and guide me by Your Spirit. Teach me how to love those around me with wisdom, and in accordance with Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.