May the mumbling commence!
There’s an old song that children like to sing. It goes something like this: “Love, love, love – that’s what it’s all about. God loves us; we love each other – mother, father, sister, brother. Everybody sing and shout, cause that’s what it’s all about. It’s about love, love, love.” And the little children shall lead us into all truth. The author of the John letters knew this truth about love, and so did the author of Revelation. Read some passages from these letters below:
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:7-12)
It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. (2 John 4-6)
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. (3 John 5-8)
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:4b-6)
Love one another! Those three words come up four times in these brief passages. They must be important. In the gospel of John, Jesus told his disciples, “This is my command: Love each other (John 15:17).” Again, in the gospel of John, Jesus told his disciples, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (13:35).” When Jesus talked about the greatest commandment, he spoke, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:29b-31)"
Yes, love comes from God, because God is love. Our love of one another is only a response to God first loving us. When we love one another, God’s love is made complete in us; and those around us will recognize us as students of Christ. Let us walk our lives in love – doing for brothers and sisters in Christ who we do not know and showing hospitality to unveil truth.
And love is about being there in the present moment. Our God is living and is first and foremost the God who is. God has so loved us that He sent His one and only Son to free us from sin and equip us to minister as priests in service of God.
Yeah – Love, love, love – that is what it is all about.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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