To Love to the End
When we face jealousy, envy, judgment, mistreatment in our families, in the church, in society, let us not forget how Jesus' love conquered it all. Let us look to the cross and wait on the Holy Spirit for power to forgive and to love unconditionally.
"It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." (John 13:1)
There's something about the love of Jesus that's different. It is more than emotional. It is powerful! When we choose to lean on Him, and take that brave decision to love our enemies, we put ourselves in a journey of no return, a path of righteousness, a path of "foolishness" and victory!
To love someone to the end, may mean many things. In my opinion, to love someone to the end, is to love someone to the end of my self, just as Jesus did on the cross. If we decide to be honest with ourselves, we will realize that the main obstacle to loving others is our self. Now our self can be deceitful and it can camouflage itself into many things, like hurt, pity, justice, responsibility. To love with the love of Jesus is to be crucified with Him and to live a life of resurrection with Him, for Him and for those who surround us.
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet." (John 13:14)
It is a matter of faithfulness. It is a matter of selfless surrender. It is a matter of love and commitment. Jesus showed us that in the New Covenant, brotherly love is the only standard of living.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
As we take this path of unconditional love, we begin to be acquainted with Jesus who lives inside us through His Holy Spirit, His Spirit of adoption and sonship. We begin to see our identity in Him and the true and eternal purpose of our lives.
I pray for honesty and sincerity in the Church. I pray for the love of Jesus to seek out the true will of God, ready and equipped with determination, to pursue love with complete denial of self. I pray for the spirit of service and love in the Church to reach new depths. I declare inner healing and physical healing in every broken spirit and body. I declare the powerful love of God to be made manifest through the love that's among us, we the disciples of Jesus, those who follow him wholeheartedly and call on His powerful name.
