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 strength.And He reminded them of a pinnacle piece of the holiness code found in Leviticus 19:18:
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.What Jesus did, however, was brilliant and powerful. That day He made very clear that love of others is just as important as loving God. Also, loving God is the same as following Jesus.
The center of life for a God-follower is to love Him. How? By following Jesus - His example, teachings, etc. If I take that seriously, what happens? I learn to increasingly love my neighbor as myself.
Jesus said ALL of the Law hung on that very thing. All the Scripture hangs on that truth. I guess that makes it pretty important!
If that is true, then unexpressed love doesn't mean much, does it? Love isn't a feeling as much as it is an active verb, a choice. We DO love. We LIVE love. We DECIDE to allow Jesus to live in and through us so that we embody His love.
You cannot follow Jesus without loving AND growing more and more in His love!
How do you reflect on this? Is there anything you would add? What are some of the best ways you have found to follow Jesus by expressing His love to others?
Below, in "comments", You will find comments from blogs done on July 9th and July 16. Because they were just received, felt that, to be seen,should be posted with current materials.
ReplyDeleteFriday, July 9th,2010 "Following Jesus - Not A System or A Standard About Him!" In answer to questions about this blog, M.E. wrote,"Meditate on it each day.Always look at yourself as others would see you.I feel Jesus/God is my companion and I want to honor Him.When I pray I ask God to fill me with His Holy Spirit. I ask God to guide my footsteps, to keep me on the right track."
ReplyDeleteFriday, July 16,2010 "Following Jesus Or An Idol Of Him" In answer to the question at the end of the blog, "What do you do to make sure you stay true to Jesus and not someone's (or your) construct of Him?", M.E. wrote, "I always wonder when I reply,'Am I on the right track or am I fooling myself'? Or do I really understand the question? So, here goes...I like to feel that Jesus lives here with me, watches tv with me, goes shopping with me, and is even with me when I am pulling weeds or sewing.Sometimes I say, 'Sorry, that was not very Christian of me,' With Jesus as my companion, I really watch my words and my actions. My greatest desire is to always honor my God. Am I on the right track, or just fooling myself?
ReplyDeleteDoug Fields,Student Pastor at Saddleback Church,writing in the book Renovation Of The Heart says, "This book gives practical insight into becoming Christlike from inside out and experiencing the kind of love that brings joy and contentment to oneself and to others." He said,"By teaching this message to the younger generation, needed reform will happen in the church.Change in the church does not start with the board of elders--it starts in the nursery!" In thinking about the subject of love, do believe childre pick up on so much more than we realize. The way we respond to each other makes such an impression, whether we are aware, or not. However, have learned, in my own life, the closer I am to the Lord, the easier it is to love, in spite of the situation. Great blog, really helpful. HSM
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