Friday, September 20, 2013

Laying Down Our Lives; John 14-17

May the mumbling commence!

As I have studied and meditated on this passage of Scripture – John fourteen to seventeen, I have noted some important themes.  Among these themes are love, obedience, and abiding.  But, what does it mean to love?  What kind of love are we talking about? 

Our culture has run roughshod over the concept of love so that the meaning of love is defiled and distorted.  We need a refresher course in what Jesus meant when he spoke about love.  Read from John chapter fifteen (NLT):

“And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.  You are my friends if you obey me.” (Verses 13-14)

What it love?  It is laying down your life for another person or group of people.  That means no hidden agendas.  That means that our greatest concern is for people other than ourselves.  It means the death of selfishness and the birth of selflessness.

As a parent, I see this kind of love in how I make sacrifices for my son… and how my wife makes sacrifices for our son.  As a child, I benefited from the sacrifices that my parents (and older siblings) made for me.  It’s the kind of love that makes everyone involved feel special.

O God, help us to release our agendas so that we may pick up the Way that you want us to live and love.  What freedom we can know if we are willing to let go of our agendas! 

May it be so!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

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