This past Mothers Day in worship we thought words of Jesus from John’s Gospel "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Our sermon can be found here.
The implications of the gospel message are not hard to understand. Counting other people as equally significant as ourselves, treating others like we would like to be treated, loving all people regardless of who they are or where they may be coming from. The complications arise as we try to live out those simple precepts!
Many of us are blessed to have been a glimpse of what unconditional love looks and feels like through the example of our parents. They put up with our worse, they tended us when sick and lifted us up when we fell. They often made sacrifices so that we could have a better life.
At the time we may not have appreciated it. We interpreted their care as being a restriction to our freedom. We didn’t want to come home that early or play music that quietly. We couldn’t understand why they had to know where we were going or who we were with. It is only with maturity and hindsight that we see their actions as flowing from love!
We can be the same in our relationship with God. Religion is seen as restrictive. We don’t want to play by all the rules because we are convinced that we know best. We forget that the nature of God is love and the work of the Spirit is to help us be more reflective of the life of Jesus (particularly in our relationships with each other).
Prayer: Lord, we are thankful for all those who in our life have taught us the meaning of love. May we allow their good example to shape our actions. Help us to grow deeper in Your love that we may reflect the life of Jesus in our daily actions. Amen.
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