Monday, February 16, 2009

Day 9 – The Power of Jesus’ Command

After spending a week discussing the two greatest commandments, I initially found this third command to be a bit redundant. If I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and love my neighbor as myself, doesn’t that insinuate that I would love as Jesus loved me?

You may recall from yesterday that I postulated Jesus’ third command was more about how we treat each other, or act toward one another, than the emotion of love. In Chapter 9, Tom Holladay shares that belief. Jesus was commanding us to act with love, just as he acted with love. Jesus knew that there would be times when we didn’t feel like loving. But even then, Jesus commands us to act with love. We know from Jesus prayer in the garden that suffering a crucifixion was not his first choice. But despite his own feelings, Jesus still prayed,

Yet not my will, but yours be done” – Luke 22:42.

When you choose to act on love, even when you don’t want to, it allows Jesus to work through you. You never know when that one act of love will make the difference in someone’s life.

Day 10 - The Power of New

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