Daily Journal:22 March

Loving One Another

Loving others is the fullest way to live. Love brings rest, joy, peace, and fulfilment around us. It causes everyone to flourish.

John 13:34-35

“I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”

Love can be hard fought, but it is worth the fight. God’s intent for our lives is that, wherever possible, we come together in unity, working out differences, not judging but being long-suffering, finding common ground and understanding. We are all growing, and we are all offered the opportunity of living forgiven.

“You must love each other as I have loved you.”

How does God love me? He has firstly forgiven me. He doesn't judge me for all the things I get wrong. He gives me grace. He allows me time and space to grow. He doesn’t leave me alone to muddle my way through. He counsels me. He walks beside me and shows me kindness and understanding. As I humble myself to listen to His counsel, I grow and am renewed bit by bit by bit.

1 Corinthians 13:1 (AMP)

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction].

Is that how I love? Am I self-absorbed or am I absorbed in God’s encompassing, forgiving, patient, establishing love?

Titus 3:1-8 (NIV)

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

God is all about relationship. I feel His pleasure when I embrace the bettering of relationships around me. That honours Him and He fuses well-being within my own soul.

How do you view your tricky relationships? How do you view your celebrated relationships? Ask God to show you how to celebrate your tricky relationships in a way that will honour and bring glory to Him. In loving one another wherever possible, He is able to bring renewal.