Love, Love and then Love Some More!

"For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"~Ephesians 5:14

I'm thinking that this topic of LOVE may be important...

Jesus said, "This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." (John 15:12) "This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:17)

In the book of Matthew, it is recorded that Jesus was asked, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" His response was, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)

Often, in my mind, I make myself the judge of people. I don't like that. My natural, fleshly tendency is to be critical. Yuck! With the life of Christ in me, loving others trumps judging and criticizing and wanting to change others.

John, in I John, writes a lot about love. For me, the starting point is, "...for God is love." (4:8b) And then, "We love, because He first loved us." (4:19) So, "The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him" (2:10) and "...let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." (4:7)

My prayer for you today and always, Nick, Ali and Greg, is that you desire to love God above all else and that His love will flow out from you to others!

I love you,

oxo-Mom