February 13, 2023 - John 13:34-35

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 NLT

Lord, we thank you so much for how you love. What a privilege it is to be loved by you. Your love is so pure, whole, and unconditional. It is not based on how we honor you. It is not based on what we do or don’t do for you. Regardless of how many times we mess up and cause you pain, it continues on. It is wonderful. Teach us how to love like you. You command us to love one another like you love us. What a mission. You set the standard so high on this one, but you are also walking with us and will help make this possible. Lord, we really do need your help on this one. Teach us how to love those that make it really hard to love them. Show us how to love those who treat us like we are their enemy. Help us show grace, mercy, and forgiveness to them like you show us. We need your strength and patience to make this possible. Help us to turn the other cheek and walk in humility. Don’t let our pride rise up, but when needed help us walk in the opposite spirit and offer love, even when it is not deserved. Help us forgive others like you forgive us – again and again. Show us when we need to have good, safe boundaries, and how to walk within those and extend love. Show us when it is time to extend discipline, but still do so with the utmost love, even if it is “tough love”. When necessary, help us deal with our anger or hurt, so that we can extend love without anger or hurt tainting it.

Lord, we want to be known by others as loving people. Let the lost recognize it in us and be drawn to us. Let the way we love set us apart. Like this verse says, let the world know that we are your disciples by the way that we walk in your beautiful love.

In Jesus name, amen.