What Love Can Do
On Sunday morning, I was walking our dog, Pepsi, down our street. It was very quiet when something peculiar happened. A woman stopped her car several meters in front of us and got out. I recognized her as the grandmother of a girl who attended a preschool program with Timmy but I couldn't remember her name as that was years ago. As we got closer, she asked if it was okay if she gave Pepsi a treat. I said yes and she asked him to sit, which he eagerly did. She gave him several treats and petted him lovingly. Pepsi was in his glory as he loves attention of any sort! She told me that she once had two labs but they both died of cancer when they were 7 years old and how that broke her heart. Then as quickly as it started, it was over. She was back in her car and off to work while we continued on our way.
My immediate thoughts were about love and what it does.
Love motivates.
Love grieves.
Love obeys.
Diana (I asked her name) was motivated to stop and give Pepsi the treats out of her love for dogs, especially her love for her labs that died and she was still grieving. Pepsi was a role-model for obedience as his love of attention and treats had him sitting and staying like he was a professional show dog!
As I continued walking, I started to think about these three things that I saw demonstrated out of love and wondered if I could connect them to our Christian lives.
But then I got overwhelmed. Love is such a huge subject in the Bible. So I decided to limit my comments to Jesus.
Love motivates
Jesus left heaven to become human because He loved humanity.
His love motivated Him even though He suffered terribly for us, even unto death.
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13)
Love grieves
Jesus' love for Lazarus and his sisters moved him to grieve over Lazarus' death.
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”" (John 11:33-36)
Love obeys
Jesus taught and obeyed the greatest commandment to love God with one's full self.
"you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30) He obeyed the Father because He loved Him.
"but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me." (John 14:31)
As I come to the end of this blog, I am again amazed at the incredible love of Jesus. Love is at His core as Saint John later states so simply: "God is love" (1 John 4:16). What a privilege and delight that we are swept up into this love and experience it!
What then are we to do?
Saint Paul's words from Ephesians 5:1-2 seem a fitting end point to today's discussion:
"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
My immediate thoughts were about love and what it does.
Love motivates.
Love grieves.
Love obeys.
Diana (I asked her name) was motivated to stop and give Pepsi the treats out of her love for dogs, especially her love for her labs that died and she was still grieving. Pepsi was a role-model for obedience as his love of attention and treats had him sitting and staying like he was a professional show dog!
As I continued walking, I started to think about these three things that I saw demonstrated out of love and wondered if I could connect them to our Christian lives.
But then I got overwhelmed. Love is such a huge subject in the Bible. So I decided to limit my comments to Jesus.
Love motivates
Jesus left heaven to become human because He loved humanity.
His love motivated Him even though He suffered terribly for us, even unto death.
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13)
Love grieves
Jesus' love for Lazarus and his sisters moved him to grieve over Lazarus' death.
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”" (John 11:33-36)
Love obeys
Jesus taught and obeyed the greatest commandment to love God with one's full self.
"you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30) He obeyed the Father because He loved Him.
"but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me." (John 14:31)
As I come to the end of this blog, I am again amazed at the incredible love of Jesus. Love is at His core as Saint John later states so simply: "God is love" (1 John 4:16). What a privilege and delight that we are swept up into this love and experience it!
What then are we to do?
Saint Paul's words from Ephesians 5:1-2 seem a fitting end point to today's discussion:
"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
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