No Greater Love
John 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Notice Jesus said 'that my joy may be in you'. Imagine that, His Joy in us. This isn't a temporary, whenever it feels like it, fix. It is permanent, in you, never to be taken from you.
As we walk this walk of finding the definition and awareness of 'love', that is 'love unconditional', not by the world's standards. We will find it. And love is patient and waits, He who is love, stands at the door of our heart and knocks.
The compassion and heart ties with others is when you realize, yes, I would die for them, die to myself and if necessary die that they may live. Jesus the perfect lamb, became a propitiation for our sin, showing us incomprehensible love. This is the premise of everything, because He first loved us, 1 John 4.
This was His desire for us from the very beginning to receive His love and forgiveness and we fall short. As a matter of a fact we do constantly and even when we do come to this realization. we fall short again. 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And taking it further, 1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
So to stay on topic, our compassion and love for one another becomes real, once we, confess or admit our sin or falling short (same text, right smack-dab in the middle of the other two) 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The true beginning of healing. Admitting our shortcomings, being cleansed and set free from what has imprisoned us and imprisoned others as a result of our shortcomings. It is about us first, getting right with God.
Then slowly we can begin to truly have His joy, His love, and in turn love our neighbor as our self and we would lay our life down for them.
Ringing in my heart this morning...
Video & Song
'Everlasting God' Chris Tomlin
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qXsYaBQGbM0
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